Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and NinoveCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ninove
Monthly Cost of Living
ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,127 in Ninove.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,196 in Ninove.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,266 in Ninove.
ðLiving in Phuket costs roughly 42% less than in Ninove, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Ninove is 59% above.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$22.74âŽ19.47
-79.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$119âŽ102
-60.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$12.66âŽ10.84
-30.17%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$4.09âŽ3.50
-26.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$3.44âŽ2.94
-78.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$3.05âŽ2.61
-87.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$5.26âŽ4.50
-53.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$4.53âŽ3.88
-20.31%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.35âŽ1.16
67.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$2.03âŽ1.74
-9.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$2.73âŽ2.33
-17.95%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$3.98âŽ3.41
-41.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$17.74âŽ15.19
10.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$11.97âŽ10.25
-69.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$21.08âŽ18.04
-37.86%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$2.83âŽ2.42
19.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$2.42âŽ2.07
-32.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$2.38âŽ2.03
1.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$3.45âŽ2.95
-41.16%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$2.34âŽ2.00
-33.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$2.33âŽ2.00
-35.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$1.41âŽ1.20
-27.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$0.83âŽ0.71
-40.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$12.68âŽ10.86
-64.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$9.32âŽ7.97
102.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.53âŽ1.31
16.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$1.92âŽ1.64
43.23%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$2.97âŽ2.54
-52.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$56.2âŽ48.09
-79.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$5.65âŽ4.84
-44.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$2.53âŽ2.17
-60.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$46.20âŽ39.54
-69.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.81âŽ1.55
-25.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$36.2KâŽ31.0K
-24.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$32.7KâŽ28.0K
0.67%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$204âŽ174
-38.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$24.92âŽ21.34
-45.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$50.8âŽ43.45
-63.52%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$38.40âŽ32.87
60.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$16.84âŽ14.42
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$14.07âŽ12.04
-34.68%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$635âŽ544
9.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$13.7KâŽ11.7K
13.60%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$82.0âŽ70.2
-29.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$49.28âŽ42.18
-28.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$115âŽ98.6
-1.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$232âŽ199
-62.83%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$901âŽ771
-31.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$747âŽ640
-40.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$1,381âŽ1,182
48.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$1,120âŽ959
33.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$3,716âŽ3,181
1.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$2,669âŽ2,285
-0.75%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ninove
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.27
63.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Ninove: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $901 in Ninove. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $119 in Ninove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $350 per month, with Phuket 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 Ninove: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Ninove?
Phuket wins on cost â living expenses run 73% lower than in Ninove. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Ninove?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $3,190 in Ninove to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Ninove?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $901 in Ninove. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Ninove?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Ninove. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Ninove?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket â a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $119 in Ninove. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Ninove?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,127 in Ninove, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ninove. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Ninove?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value â similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Ninove?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ninove are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 73% less than in Ninove. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.