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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $891 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,386 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,881 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 37% more than Nonthaburi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nonthaburi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Nonthaburi 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.15 ฿102

43.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$21.62 ฿703

115.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.32 ฿205

34.34%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.08 ฿67.6

48.08%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.69 ฿22.34

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.27 ฿8.69

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.05 ฿66.8

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.61 ฿117

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.57 ฿51.1

39.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.34 ฿43.68

35.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.25 ฿40.55

78.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.20 ฿71.5

1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$18.29 ฿595

7.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$2.80 ฿91.0

32.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$9.31 ฿303

44.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.39 ฿110

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.79 ฿58.1

-9.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.83 ฿59.5

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.58 ฿51.4

25.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.67 ฿54.1

-8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.42 ฿46.04

2.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.06 ฿34.60

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.52 ฿16.90

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.32 ฿140

-1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$14.49 ฿471

31.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.80 ฿58.4

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.40 ฿110

-19.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.90 ฿29.23

57.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$37.03 ฿1,204

-68.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.11 ฿35.99

170.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.17 ฿37.88

-10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$4.13 ฿134

236.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.35 ฿43.74

-4.44%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$36.4K ฿1.2M

-23.01%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$27.9K ฿906.7K

20.09%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$88.3 ฿2,870

38.14%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$13.04 ฿424

6.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$16.98 ฿552

11.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$54.4 ฿1,767

12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$12.36 ฿402

36.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$6.11 ฿198

45.50%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$431 ฿14.0K

60.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$13.3K ฿432.2K

21.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$30.48 ฿991

89.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$38.36 ฿1,247

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$106 ฿3,460

6.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$87.0 ฿2,829

-4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$717 ฿23.3K

-15.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$193 ฿6,261

132.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$832 ฿27.0K

144.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$436 ฿14.2K

242.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Nonthaburi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $717 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Nonthaburi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $246 – 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 37%, 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,336 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 $1,223 in Phuket and $891 in Nonthaburi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 216% 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 $891, than in Phuket at $1,223. 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.