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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $994 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,590 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,185 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 24% more than Mossel Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mossel Bay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mossel Bay 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$13.28 R 220

-65.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$44.99 R 745

4.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$8.32 R 138

6.25%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$2.35 R 38.84

27.66%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$1.24 R 20.50

-40.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.95 R 15.64

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$2.23 R 36.88

9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$2.81 R 46.58

28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.04 R 17.16

117.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$1.04 R 17.29

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$2.13 R 35.21

5.16%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$2.92 R 48.25

-20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$8.64 R 143

127.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.73 R 78.3

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$7.35 R 122

78.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$1.64 R 27.10

106.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.04 R 17.25

57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$1.44 R 23.85

67.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$1.92 R 31.82

5.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$1.89 R 31.34

-17.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$1.60 R 26.43

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$1.04 R 17.17

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$1.12 R 18.56

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.43 R 56.7

29.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$5.28 R 87.4

257.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$1.45 R 24.05

22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$2.46 R 40.63

11.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$1.66 R 27.54

-15.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$1.10 R 18.28

183.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$1.10 R 18.27

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$4.13 R 68.3

241.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$1.26 R 20.92

7.14%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$19.4K R 321.0K

40.17%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.8K R 327.1K

66.56%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$87.2 R 1,443

43.38%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$16.73 R 277

-18.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$39.94 R 661

-53.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$19.61 R 325

213.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$13.48 R 223

24.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$6.81 R 113

34.95%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$118 R 1,951

492.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$1,547 R 25.6K

908.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$42.47 R 703

36.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$21.41 R 354

64.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$76.4 R 1,265

47.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$62.4 R 1,032

38.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$463 R 7,662

33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$336 R 5,558

32.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$958 R 15.9K

113.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$627 R 10.4K

138.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$613 R 10.2K

516.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

$614 R 10.2K

331.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$1,486 R 24.6K

-64.74%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mossel Bay: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $463 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 184% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Mossel Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $994 in Mossel Bay – roughly 24% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,491 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 $47.00 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 52% 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 $994, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $994 in Mossel Bay to $1,232 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.