Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nong Khai Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nong Khai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $912 in Nong Khai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,485 in Nong Khai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $2,057 in Nong Khai, rent included.

Phuket costs about 37% more than Nong Khai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Nong Khai are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Nong Khai 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.04 ฿99.8

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,070

$22.85 ฿750

42.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿292

$7.45 ฿244

19.46%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.0

$2.02 ฿66.3

38.61%

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

$0.88 ฿28.88

$0.69 ฿22.62

27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.05

$0.33 ฿10.77

48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.4

$2.12 ฿69.6

12.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.06 ฿100

21.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.6

$1.92 ฿63.0

-6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.30

$1.40 ฿45.91

2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.0

$1.30 ฿42.68

21.54%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.8

$2.15 ฿70.6

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿654

$16.22 ฿532

22.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$2.88 ฿94.5

19.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.98 ฿360

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.8

$3.35 ฿110

-11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.5

$1.08 ฿35.29

59.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.3

$2.33 ฿76.4

-0.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$1.72 ฿56.5

20.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.55 ฿50.9

-5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.56

$1.17 ฿38.49

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$1.10 ฿36.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.85

$0.49 ฿16.22

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.38 ฿144

-2.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿604

$15.00 ฿492

22.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.4

$1.78 ฿58.5

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿95.8

$2.86 ฿93.9

2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.8

$0.96 ฿31.54

131.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿751

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$1.19 ฿39.06

154.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.24

$1.16 ฿38.15

-7.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$3.94 ฿129

-0.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.95

$1.38 ฿45.27

7.97%

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

$27.1K ฿890.1K

$24.6K ฿806.7K

10.33%

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

$27.5K ฿900.7K

$27.3K ฿894.4K

0.70%

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

$103 ฿3,373

$84.4 ฿2,769

21.83%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$12.87 ฿422

-14.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿575

$19.62 ฿644

-10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,756

$47.61 ฿1,562

12.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿367

$14.53 ฿477

-22.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$6.55 ฿215

14.20%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$567 ฿18.6K

-1.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿388.9K

$11.3K ฿371.9K

4.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,102

$51.3 ฿1,683

24.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿954

$30.14 ฿989

-3.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,148

$76.9 ฿2,524

24.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,964

$76.7 ฿2,515

17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$467 ฿15.3K

56.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$292 ฿9,593

70.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.6K

$1,221 ฿40.1K

71.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$701 ฿23.0K

72.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.0K

$2,007 ฿65.9K

79.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.4K

$1,608 ฿52.8K

56.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$456 ฿15.0K

10.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Nong Khai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $467 in Nong Khai. 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 10% 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Nong Khai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $246 – making Nong Khai 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 Nong Khai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,369 in Nong Khai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nong Khai, 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 $1,253 in Phuket and $912 in Nong Khai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $567 in Nong Khai. 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 Nong Khai, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Nong Khai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nong Khai – 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 Nong Khai. 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.