Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nakhon Sawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nakhon Sawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $961 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,544 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,127 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 31% more than Nakhon Sawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nakhon Sawan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Nakhon Sawan 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.03 ฿101

47.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$31.06 ฿1,036

46.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.26 ฿209

39.94%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.56 ฿51.9

90.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.38 ฿12.84

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.27 ฿8.88

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.42 ฿80.7

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.97 ฿132

-5.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.81 ฿60.2

18.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.41 ฿46.95

29.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.40 ฿46.68

55.71%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.70 ฿56.6

32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$18.38 ฿613

8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.02 ฿101

20.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$9.42 ฿314

43.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.52 ฿117

-7.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.79 ฿26.49

107.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.29 ฿76.3

1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.94 ฿64.6

6.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.21 ฿40.39

28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.25 ฿41.66

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.01 ฿33.81

-2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.53 ฿17.54

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.73 ฿90.9

59.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$17.48 ฿583

6.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.70 ฿56.6

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.36 ฿112

-21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.64 ฿21.26

121.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.06 ฿35.48

199.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.19 ฿39.77

-13.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.10 ฿204

127.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.24 ฿41.28

8.06%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$37.7K ฿1.3M

-26.20%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.7K ฿957.7K

16.28%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$88.2 ฿2,941

39.56%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$12.75 ฿425

8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$16.97 ฿566

8.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$49.07 ฿1,637

23.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$12.34 ฿412

39.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.91 ฿264

12.14%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$592 ฿19.7K

16.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$13.3K ฿444.0K

18.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$57.1 ฿1,903

3.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$38.08 ฿1,270

-8.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$104 ฿3,474

10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$92.5 ฿3,085

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$426 ฿14.2K

45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$284 ฿9,472

57.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$804 ฿26.8K

153.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$663 ฿22.1K

125.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,905 ฿63.5K

81.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,626 ฿54.3K

55.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$471 ฿15.7K

4.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.84

-8.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Sawan: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $426 in Nakhon Sawan. 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 5% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Nakhon Sawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $251 – making Nakhon Sawan 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 Nakhon Sawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,442 in Nakhon Sawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Sawan, 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $961 in Nakhon Sawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $592 in Nakhon Sawan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Sawan, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Nakhon Sawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nakhon Sawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nakhon Sawan. 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.