Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nonthaburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nonthaburi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $861 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,380 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,899 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 43% more than Nonthaburi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nonthaburi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Nonthaburi 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.05 ฿99.9

51.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$21.76 ฿712

115.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.99 ฿196

47.58%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.09 ฿68.3

43.54%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.67 ฿22.06

10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.27 ฿8.76

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.96 ฿64.0

24.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.52 ฿49.81

48.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.35 ฿44.05

36.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.20 ฿39.31

86.67%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.27 ฿74.4

2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$18.60 ฿608

5.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.80 ฿91.6

30.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$9.33 ฿305

40.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.55 ฿116

-4.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.74 ฿56.9

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.89 ฿61.7

27.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.52 ฿49.80

33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.66 ฿54.2

-6.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.45 ฿47.39

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.11 ฿36.20

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.49 ฿16.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.45 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$15.56 ฿509

21.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.80 ฿58.9

-1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.36 ฿110

-18.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.89 ฿29.26

57.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$36.34 ฿1,188

-68.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.06 ฿34.57

194.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.16 ฿37.79

-13.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.10 ฿134

243.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.28 ฿41.82

5.47%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$36.7K ฿1.2M

-25.93%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.0K ฿915.1K

17.64%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$90.6 ฿2,963

37.93%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.31 ฿435

1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$17.04 ฿557

8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$53.4 ฿1,747

15.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$12.27 ฿401

37.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.29 ฿206

46.10%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$434 ฿14.2K

60.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$13.1K ฿429.3K

18.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$30.64 ฿1,002

88.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$39.45 ฿1,290

-10.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$105 ฿3,438

7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$87.9 ฿2,873

-1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$730 ฿23.9K

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$187 ฿6,104

138.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$846 ฿27.7K

142.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$443 ฿14.5K

237.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,346 ฿76.7K

61.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$772 ฿25.3K

-32.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.84

-8.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nonthaburi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $730 in Nonthaburi. 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 47% higher in Nonthaburi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Nonthaburi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $249 – making Nonthaburi 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 Nonthaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,292 in Nonthaburi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nonthaburi, 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $861 in Nonthaburi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 217% less in Nonthaburi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nonthaburi, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Nonthaburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nonthaburi – 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 Nonthaburi. 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.