Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nosara Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nosara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $1,852 in Nosara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $2,876 in Nosara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $3,900 in Nosara, rent included.

Phuket is about 32% cheaper than Nosara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 9% below the global median, while Nosara is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$12.10 ₡5,430

-62.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$58.8 ₡26.4K

-44.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.91 ₡3,549

12.52%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$4.45 ₡1,998

-37.08%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$1.76 ₡790

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.31 ₡590

-62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$3.28 ₡1,474

-27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$4.56 ₡2,045

-18.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.59 ₡712

12.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$3.07 ₡1,375

-53.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.57 ₡1,152

-38.52%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.59 ₡1,612

-40.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.29 ₡3,272

173.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$10.77 ₡4,832

-68.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$14.15 ₡6,347

-19.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$2.29 ₡1,026

28.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.64 ₡735

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$4.90 ₡2,199

-52.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.70 ₡763

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$3.89 ₡1,747

-62.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$3.74 ₡1,680

-63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.09 ₡489

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$2.58 ₡1,160

-77.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.09 ₡2,285

-16.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$20.39 ₡9,147

-9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$2.79 ₡1,254

-32.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$3.59 ₡1,609

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$1.45 ₡649

53.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$76.3 ₡34.2K

-69.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.18 ₡978

38.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$1.60 ₡717

-33.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$9.07 ₡4,070

-56.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.54 ₡689

-3.25%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

21.18%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$35.7K ₡16.0M

-23.10%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$95.8 ₡43.0K

7.32%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$36.42 ₡16.3K

-69.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$52.9 ₡23.7K

-66.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$74.3 ₡33.3K

-27.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$35.79 ₡16.1K

-68.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$8.16 ₡3,661

-8.33%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$504 ₡226.2K

10.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$11.7K ₡5.2M

1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$55.5 ₡24.9K

15.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$57.4 ₡25.7K

-49.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$79.1 ₡35.5K

21.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$81.0 ₡36.3K

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$809 ₡362.8K

-9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$787 ₡353.1K

-36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$3,953 ₡1.8M

-47.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$1,403 ₡629.4K

-13.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$7,131 ₡3.2M

-49.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,245 ₡558.4K

101.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$896 ₡401.9K

-43.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.78

-36.56%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Nosara: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $809 in Nosara. 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 78% higher in Nosara, 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 $59.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $355 – making Phuket 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 Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,253 in Phuket, $1,852 in Nosara – roughly 48% apart. Nosara costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $2,777 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 233% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $504 in Nosara. 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 Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Nosara at $1,852. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,253 in Phuket to $1,852 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.