🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,342 in Mytilene.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,992 in Mytilene.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,642 in Mytilene.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in Mytilene, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Mytilene is 0% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$12.58€10.83
-62.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$46.56€40.10
-2.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$4.58€3.94
84.06%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$3.95€3.40
-25.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$2.74€2.36
-74.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$0.60€0.52
-38.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$3.54€3.05
-31.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$5.73€4.94
-35.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.60€1.38
39.37%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.63€1.41
12.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$2.98€2.57
-27.18%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$2.99€2.57
-26.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$13.70€11.80
44.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$9.62€8.28
-62.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$13.83€11.91
-2.17%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.60€1.37
105.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$2.08€1.79
-22.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$1.99€1.71
21.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.03€1.75
2.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.42€1.22
7.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.53€1.31
-3.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.02€0.88
-2.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.67€0.58
-23.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$5.20€4.48
-15.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$12.61€10.86
53.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.14€0.98
56.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$3.54€3.04
-23.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$1.90€1.63
-27.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$28.77€24.78
-60.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$2.61€2.24
15.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$13.50€11.63
4.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$2.26€1.94
-39.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$31.2K€26.9K
-9.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.9K€23.2K
22.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$253€218
-51.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$24.96€21.49
-45.63%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$58.0€49.91
-68.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$18.04€15.53
233.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$26.33€22.67
-34.90%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$9.41€8.10
-7.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$321€276
116.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$5,892€5,074
166.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$82.0€70.6
-27.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$38.05€32.76
-8.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$88.6€76.3
29.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$108€92.8
-22.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$348€299
76.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$334€288
30.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$661€569
216.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$498€428
203.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$3,371€2,903
11.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$2,301€1,981
13.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Mytilene
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,115€960
-54.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.15
3.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Mytilene: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $348 in Mytilene. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mytilene pays 119% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Mytilene. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $283, with Mytilene cheaper for home cooking.
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 Mytilene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Mytilene?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Mytilene. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Mytilene?
On paper, Mytilene earns 119% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Mytilene?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $348 in Mytilene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Mytilene?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 153% less than in Mytilene. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Mytilene?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $321 in Mytilene. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Mytilene?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,342 in Mytilene, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mytilene. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Mytilene?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Mytilene?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Mytilene are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Mytilene. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.