Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nakhon Si Thammarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nakhon Si Thammarat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,038 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,691 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,344 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

Phuket costs about 20% more than Nakhon Si Thammarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phuket and Nakhon Si Thammarat are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Nakhon Si Thammarat 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.03 ฿102

50.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$45.51 ฿1,531

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.86 ฿298

-0.23%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.97 ฿99.8

3.03%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.72 ฿24.23

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.36 ฿12.22

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.42 ฿81.3

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.14 ฿72.0

5.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.15 ฿72.4

4.65%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.29 ฿77.2

-1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$19.56 ฿658

-0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.63 ฿122

0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.07 ฿440

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.34 ฿112

-3.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.62 ฿54.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.28 ฿76.7

4.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.02 ฿68.0

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.54 ฿51.7

-0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.48 ฿49.90

1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.01 ฿34.06

-2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.51 ฿17.27

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.49 ฿151

-1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$18.69 ฿629

-1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.79 ฿60.2

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.68 ฿90.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.94 ฿31.52

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.05 ฿35.37

196.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.99 ฿33.28

5.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$13.87 ฿467

1.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.30 ฿43.66

0.77%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$27.5K ฿923.3K

1.32%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.1K ฿1.1M

-2.71%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$121 ฿4,076

1.02%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.55 ฿456

0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$18.25 ฿614

2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$50.1 ฿1,683

20.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$12.03 ฿404

41.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$8.80 ฿296

3.07%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$686 ฿23.1K

2.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$15.7K ฿527.8K

0.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$59.2 ฿1,991

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$34.07 ฿1,146

3.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$113 ฿3,798

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$83.9 ฿2,821

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$422 ฿14.2K

48.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$281 ฿9,461

58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$798 ฿26.9K

155.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$667 ฿22.4K

123.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,823 ฿61.3K

91.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,559 ฿52.4K

65.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Si Thammarat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $422 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $46.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $289 – making Phuket 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 Si Thammarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,038 in Nakhon Si Thammarat – roughly 20% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,558 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $1,038 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $686 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where all-in costs run around $1,038, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Nakhon Si Thammarat 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 $1,038 in Nakhon Si Thammarat to $1,250 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 Nakhon Si Thammarat. 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.