Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nonthaburi

For one person, living is cheaper in Nonthaburi: $832 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Nonthaburi, Thailand
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Nonthaburi
🇹🇭 Thailand
$832
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Nonthaburi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Nonthaburi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $832 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Nonthaburi $832

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,297 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Nonthaburi $1,297

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,763 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Nonthaburi $1,763

Phuket costs about 54% more than Nonthaburi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Phuket and Nonthaburi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Nonthaburi 39% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$3.28 ฿111
36.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$23.32 ฿787
38.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$7.55 ฿255
16.69%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.41 ฿81.4
17.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.68 ฿22.94
27.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.33 ฿10.99
48.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$2.11 ฿71.2
21.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.05 ฿103
20.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.40 ฿47.38
18.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$1.31 ฿44.14
11.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.26 ฿42.43
19.05%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.12 ฿71.6
-1.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$17.44 ฿588
9.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.42 ฿81.6
36.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$9.97 ฿337
9.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$3.58 ฿121
-18.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$0.93 ฿31.55
81.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.48 ฿83.6
-9.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$1.56 ฿52.7
33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.77 ฿59.6
-14.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.50 ฿50.5
-8.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$1.22 ฿41.01
-12.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.48 ฿16.13
8.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$4.47 ฿151
-6.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$14.32 ฿483
31.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.82 ฿61.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.33 ฿78.5
21.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.91 ฿30.76
59.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.07 ฿36.11
182.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$1.19 ฿40.17
-14.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$3.52 ฿119
4.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.40 ฿47.32
5.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$16.3K ฿551.5K
63.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$26.3K ฿888.7K
1.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$107 ฿3,606
-9.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$14.74 ฿497
-23.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$21.27 ฿718
-20.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$53.6 ฿1,808
25.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$11.93 ฿402
-10.06%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$6.40 ฿216
17.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$704 ฿23.7K
-32.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$16.8K ฿566.2K
-32.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$5.88 ฿198
960.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$35.84 ฿1,209
-20.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$71.8 ฿2,423
31.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$60.2 ฿2,032
42.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$683 ฿23.0K
4.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$198 ฿6,664
148.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,265 ฿42.7K
52.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$418 ฿14.1K
242.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$1,960 ฿66.1K
112.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$1,564 ฿52.8K
94.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nonthaburi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.25
6.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Nonthaburi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Nonthaburi
$198 59.8% $293
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Nonthaburi
$238 10.8% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Nonthaburi
$143 14.8% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Nonthaburi
$78 35.9% $44
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Nonthaburi
$99 19% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Nonthaburi
$66 19.3% $16
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Nonthaburi
$11 * 84.9% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $683 in Nonthaburi. 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 $32 in Phuket versus $23 in Nonthaburi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $238 – making Nonthaburi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇹🇭 Nonthaburi
🕒 Local time
01:21 1:21 AM
01:21 1:21 AM
Same time as Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
254,375
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Nonthaburi 700 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Nonthaburi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nonthaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nonthaburi cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 54%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,248 in Nonthaburi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Nonthaburi?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $716 in Phuket and $683 in Nonthaburi. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Nonthaburi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $23 in Nonthaburi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Nonthaburi?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Nonthaburi?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nonthaburi, where all-in costs run around $832, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Nonthaburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Nonthaburi?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $832 in Nonthaburi to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Nonthaburi?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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