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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $952 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,490 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,027 in Neum.

Living in Phuket is roughly 31% more expensive than in Neum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.60 BAM 14.71

-47.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$41.64 BAM 71.2

10.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.53 BAM 12.88

17.40%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.65 BAM 2.82

85.45%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$2.02 BAM 3.45

-63.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.15 BAM 1.96

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.08 BAM 3.55

16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.78 BAM 4.76

35.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.34 BAM 2.28

68.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.28 BAM 2.19

41.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.58 BAM 2.70

42.41%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.95 BAM 5.05

-23.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.25 BAM 15.82

110.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$8.51 BAM 14.56

-57.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.70 BAM 20.01

11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.44 BAM 2.45

124.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.64 BAM 2.80

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.94 BAM 3.32

22.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$2.01 BAM 3.45

1.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.16 BAM 1.98

31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.11 BAM 1.89

35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.15 BAM 1.97

-14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.71 BAM 1.21

-26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.78 BAM 6.47

17.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.04 BAM 6.91

353.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.71 BAM 1.22

161.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.08 BAM 1.85

148.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$1.82 BAM 3.11

-22.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$35.23 BAM 60.3

-66.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.43 BAM 2.45

117.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.09 BAM 1.86

-4.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$7.24 BAM 12.38

94.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.48 BAM 2.53

-11.49%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

-1.36%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

27.13%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$174 BAM 298

-29.71%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$19.43 BAM 33.23

-30.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$24.03 BAM 41.10

-22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$29.92 BAM 51.2

102.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$11.09 BAM 18.97

53.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.67 BAM 7.99

94.22%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$207 BAM 354

241.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$3,694 BAM 6,319

327.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$70.3 BAM 120

-16.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$36.78 BAM 62.9

-3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$87.8 BAM 150

31.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$114 BAM 195

-26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$262 BAM 448

138.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$167 BAM 285

167.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$363 BAM 621

462.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$314 BAM 537

375.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,490 BAM 4,259

39.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,817 BAM 3,107

41.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$877 BAM 1,500

-43.00%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Neum: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $262 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neum pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Neum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $217 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $952 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Neum. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $262 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 201% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $207 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Neum versus $1,250 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 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.