Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Neum Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Neum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $954 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,494 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,035 in Neum.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than Neum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Neum 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.66 BAM 14.56

-45.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$41.82 BAM 70.3

8.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.63 BAM 12.82

10.48%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.65 BAM 2.77

77.58%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.94 BAM 3.26

-64.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.21 BAM 2.03

-69.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.09 BAM 3.51

15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.81 BAM 4.72

32.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.32 BAM 2.22

68.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.23 BAM 2.07

48.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.58 BAM 2.65

37.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.01 BAM 5.05

-26.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.60 BAM 16.12

105.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.75 BAM 14.71

-58.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.61 BAM 19.50

16.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.41 BAM 2.37

132.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.64 BAM 2.75

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.94 BAM 3.26

24.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.04 BAM 3.43

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.15 BAM 1.94

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.11 BAM 1.86

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.21 BAM 2.04

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.73 BAM 1.23

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.63 BAM 6.10

21.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$4.06 BAM 6.81

377.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.76 BAM 1.28

134.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.13 BAM 1.90

139.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-25.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$34.69 BAM 58.3

-67.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.50 BAM 2.52

101.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.10 BAM 1.84

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.28 BAM 12.23

93.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.54 BAM 2.60

-11.69%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

-3.00%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

24.78%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$174 BAM 292

-29.98%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.87 BAM 31.70

-28.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$24.01 BAM 40.33

-23.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$28.99 BAM 48.71

107.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$10.97 BAM 18.43

56.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.81 BAM 8.08

80.67%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$203 BAM 342

240.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,618 BAM 6,079

333.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$69.6 BAM 117

-14.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$35.84 BAM 60.2

-2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$89.3 BAM 150

28.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$111 BAM 186

-24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$261 BAM 438

135.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$169 BAM 284

158.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$363 BAM 610

476.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$315 BAM 529

379.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,608 BAM 4,382

43.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,838 BAM 3,088

42.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$882 BAM 1,482

-42.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.9

83.79%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Neum: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $261 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neum pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Neum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $220 per month, with Neum cheaper across the board.

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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Neum differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $954 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Neum earns 74% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $261 in Neum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 205% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $203 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $954 in Neum versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Neum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Neum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.