Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nakhon Pathom

For one person, living is cheaper in Nakhon Pathom: $622 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Nakhon Pathom
🇹🇭 Thailand
$622
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Nakhon Pathom

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Nakhon Pathom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $622 in Nakhon Pathom.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Nakhon Pathom $622

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $835 in Nakhon Pathom.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Nakhon Pathom $835

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,048 in Nakhon Pathom.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Nakhon Pathom $1,048

Living in Phuket is roughly 105% more expensive than in Nakhon Pathom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Nakhon Pathom 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$2.57 ฿86.8
73.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$17.96 ฿606
80.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$5.81 ฿196
51.64%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.18 ฿73.4
29.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.75 ฿25.22
16.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.34 ฿11.62
44.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$2.06 ฿69.5
24.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.02 ฿102
21.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.43 ฿48.19
16.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$1.27 ฿42.80
14.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.03 ฿34.64
45.63%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.62 ฿54.8
29.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$5.20 ฿175
266.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.18 ฿73.7
51.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$7.37 ฿249
48.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$2.39 ฿80.5
22.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$0.99 ฿33.25
70.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.34 ฿79.0
-3.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$1.62 ฿54.6
28.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.15 ฿38.78
31.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.08 ฿36.52
27.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.83 ฿27.94
28.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.37 ฿12.58
40.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$4.35 ฿147
-3.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$14.30 ฿482
31.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.67 ฿56.4
8.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$1.86 ฿62.9
52.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$2.89 ฿97.6
-49.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.15 ฿38.66
162.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$1.57 ฿53.1
-35.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$8.97 ฿303
-58.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.17 ฿39.58
25.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$17.6K ฿595.1K
51.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$27.0K ฿911.2K
-1.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$29.21 ฿985
229.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$9.40 ฿317
19.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$22.90 ฿773
-26.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$4.79 ฿162
56.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$713 ฿24.1K
-33.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$10.8K ฿364.3K
4.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$60.1 ฿2,028
3.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$46.67 ฿1,575
-39.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$70.4 ฿2,373
34.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$90.3 ฿3,046
-4.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$161 ฿5,445
343.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$150 ฿5,052
227.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nakhon Pathom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$1,176 ฿39.7K
-57.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.5
59.14%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Pathom: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Nakhon Pathom
$150 69.5% $341
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Nakhon Pathom
$176 34.1% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Nakhon Pathom
$62 50.6% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Nakhon Pathom
$120 1.3% $1.6
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Nakhon Pathom
$85 30.3% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Nakhon Pathom
$9.6 * 88.4% $73
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Nakhon Pathom
$21 * 70.8% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $161 in Nakhon Pathom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nakhon Pathom pays about 2.3 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $18 in Nakhon Pathom for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $176 per month, with Nakhon Pathom cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇹🇭 Nakhon Pathom
🕒 Local time
07:55 7:55 AM
07:55 7:55 AM
Same time as Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
74,446
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Nakhon Pathom 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Nakhon Pathom

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nakhon Pathom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nakhon Pathom cheaper than Phuket?
Nakhon Pathom is about 51% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Nakhon Pathom?
On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Nakhon Pathom?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $161 in Nakhon Pathom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $713 in Nakhon Pathom. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Nakhon Pathom?
Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Pathom – a meal for two runs $18 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Nakhon Pathom?
At $622 in Nakhon Pathom versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Pathom but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Pathom the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Nakhon Pathom?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Nakhon Pathom?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Nakhon Pathom are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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