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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $1,662 in Nosara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $2,597 in Nosara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $3,532 in Nosara, rent included.

Phuket is about 25% cheaper than Nosara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 7% below the global median, while Nosara is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$11.04 ₡5,041

-58.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,500

$60.6 ₡27.7K

-22.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$6.84 ₡3,123

27.19%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$3.79 ₡1,729

-22.96%

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

$0.68 ฿21.90

$1.57 ₡718

-56.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.69

$1.17 ₡533

-65.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.3

$2.91 ₡1,328

-13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$4.63 ₡2,113

-17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$1.40 ₡640

54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$2.85 ₡1,304

-34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.1

$2.13 ₡975

1.41%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.1

$3.02 ₡1,379

-26.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$6.70 ₡3,062

192.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$8.86 ₡4,050

-57.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$13.51 ₡6,172

-0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$2.14 ₡977

52.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$1.42 ₡648

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿73.9

$4.36 ₡1,991

-47.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿65.9

$1.50 ₡686

37.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$3.55 ₡1,620

-54.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.23

$3.21 ₡1,467

-55.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.99

$1.01 ₡462

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.38

$2.32 ₡1,062

-79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$4.47 ₡2,040

0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿614

$20.37 ₡9,307

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.50 ₡1,140

-27.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$2.88 ₡1,318

-6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

$1.02 ₡465

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

$67.8 ₡31.0K

-82.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.5

$1.82 ₡831

70.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.16

$1.79 ₡817

-44.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿440

$8.09 ₡3,695

69.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.58

$1.34 ₡613

-2.99%

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

$27.4K ฿876.5K

$32.1K ₡14.6M

-14.70%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$32.1K ₡14.7M

2.79%

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

$125 ฿4,001

$95.2 ₡43.5K

31.22%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$26.17 ₡12.0K

-47.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿596

$48.04 ₡21.9K

-61.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

$57.7 ₡26.3K

5.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

$23.79 ₡10.9K

-27.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$9.67 ₡4,417

-6.83%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$450 ₡205.6K

55.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.2K

$10.7K ₡4.9M

50.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,897

$49.98 ₡22.8K

18.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,117

$52.3 ₡23.9K

-33.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,659

$70.7 ₡32.3K

61.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,749

$72.5 ₡33.1K

18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

$758 ₡346.2K

-18.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

$751 ₡342.9K

-41.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

$1,517 ₡692.8K

36.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

$1,326 ₡605.6K

13.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

$6,907 ₡3.2M

-45.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

$1,213 ₡554.1K

122.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

$881 ₡402.4K

-40.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.17

-47.59%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $758 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 67% 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 $47 in Phuket versus $61 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $320 – 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: $1,247 in Phuket, $1,662 in Nosara – roughly 33% apart. Nosara costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Phuket and $2,492 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 476% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $450 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 $1,247, than in Nosara at $1,662. 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 $1,247 in Phuket to $1,662 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.