Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mossel Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mossel Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $979 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,585 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,192 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 29% more than Mossel Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mossel Bay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Mossel Bay 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$13.18 R 220

-66.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$45.45 R 757

0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.23 R 137

6.44%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$2.31 R 38.51

28.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.96

$1.25 R 20.80

-44.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.93 R 15.43

-58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$2.23 R 37.14

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.72 R 45.37

37.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.07 R 17.82

100.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$1.03 R 17.19

76.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$2.12 R 35.38

2.83%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.88 R 47.93

-21.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$8.61 R 143

132.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.96 R 82.6

-26.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$7.53 R 126

80.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$1.65 R 27.41

96.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.04 R 17.32

57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.45 R 24.15

60.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.87 R 31.19

10.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.80 R 29.99

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.56 R 25.98

-6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.99 R 16.47

-1.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$1.13 R 18.78

-57.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$3.28 R 54.6

32.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$4.82 R 80.3

285.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.51 R 25.22

23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.47 R 41.15

7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$1.66 R 27.72

-14.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.10 R 18.31

188.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$1.06 R 17.71

-2.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$3.91 R 65.2

255.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.32 R 21.94

1.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$19.5K R 324.8K

42.56%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.2K R 320.2K

73.65%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 ฿4,116

$86.4 R 1,439

42.47%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿461

$16.68 R 278

-17.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$39.42 R 657

-53.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$19.58 R 326

209.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$13.50 R 225

27.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$6.84 R 114

29.68%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$688 ฿23.0K

$120 R 1,995

474.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$1,586 R 26.4K

894.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$42.59 R 709

39.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$22.17 R 369

56.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$76.7 R 1,278

50.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$62.4 R 1,040

34.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$462 R 7,691

34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$339 R 5,654

31.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$943 R 15.7K

115.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$644 R 10.7K

132.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$608 R 10.1K

468.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

$601 R 10.0K

321.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,473 R 24.5K

-66.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.12

-56.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mossel Bay: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $462 in Mossel Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 198% higher in Mossel Bay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Mossel Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $192 – making Mossel Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Mossel Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $979 in Mossel Bay – roughly 29% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,468 in Mossel Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mossel Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $45.00 in Mossel Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mossel Bay, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Mossel Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $979 in Mossel Bay to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mossel Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.