Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mugla Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mugla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $928 in Mugla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,472 in Mugla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $2,016 in Mugla, rent included.

Phuket costs about 35% more than Mugla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Mugla are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Mugla 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿151

$7.12 ₺344

-35.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,082

$48.44 ₺2,341

-32.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿295

$7.98 ₺386

11.53%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿93.0

$3.82 ₺184

-26.70%

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

$0.88 ฿29.19

$1.75 ₺84.5

-49.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.23

$0.52 ₺25.33

-5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.2

$3.06 ₺148

-21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

$3.84 ₺186

-3.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.3

$1.11 ₺53.7

61.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.81

$1.00 ₺48.08

44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.6

$2.07 ₺100

-23.67%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿70.5

$2.16 ₺105

-1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿661

$9.43 ₺456

111.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿114

$5.00 ₺242

-31.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿376

$20.43 ₺987

-44.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.8

$1.72 ₺83.2

71.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.1

$1.84 ₺88.9

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿77.1

$0.99 ₺47.74

134.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.0

$1.49 ₺72.1

39.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$0.52 ₺25.03

182.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.05

$0.44 ₺21.15

209.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.45

$1.00 ₺48.37

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿19.06

$0.70 ₺33.90

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿142

$2.39 ₺115

78.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

$10.20 ₺493

80.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$2.26 ₺109

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.9

$2.60 ₺125

12.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

$1.28 ₺61.7

73.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.97 ₺46.85

212.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

$0.73 ₺35.29

46.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

$8.50 ₺410

-53.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.49

$1.35 ₺65.3

10.37%

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

$27.1K ฿899.8K

$44.2K ₺2.1M

-38.68%

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

$27.5K ฿910.6K

$40.7K ₺2.0M

-32.60%

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

$103 ฿3,410

$73.8 ₺3,565

39.31%

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

$10.99 ฿365

$10.52 ₺509

4.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿581

$15.70 ₺759

11.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,776

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿248

$5.57 ₺269

34.29%

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

$557 ฿18.5K

$712 ₺34.4K

-21.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿393.2K

$13.5K ₺650.5K

-11.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,125

$46.67 ₺2,255

37.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿964

$33.35 ₺1,611

-12.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,183

$93.0 ₺4,493

3.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,997

$80.4 ₺3,884

12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.2K

$412 ₺19.9K

77.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.6K

$316 ₺15.2K

58.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.3K

$823 ₺39.7K

154.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.1K

$518 ₺25.0K

133.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

$1,750 ₺84.6K

105.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

$1,051 ₺50.8K

139.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.7K

$1,549 ₺74.8K

-67.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

40.44

-86.23%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mugla: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $412 in Mugla. 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 208% higher in Mugla, 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $48.00 in Mugla. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Phuket vs $235 in Mugla – so Mugla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mugla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 35% more than Mugla, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,392 in Mugla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,253 in Phuket and $928 in Mugla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $712 in Mugla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mugla, where all-in costs run around $928, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Mugla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mugla costs $928 versus $1,253 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mugla. 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.