Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ostia

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,756 in Ostia, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Ostia
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,756
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ostia

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 Ostia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $1,756 in Ostia, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Ostia $1,756

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $2,594 in Ostia, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Ostia $2,594

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $3,432 in Ostia, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Ostia $3,432

Phuket is about 31% cheaper than Ostia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 11% below the global median, while Ostia is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$16.51 €14.69
-72.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$66.0 €58.7
-50.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$11.36 €10.10
-24.74%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$2.25 €2.00
20.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$2.33 €2.07
-59.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$1.20 €1.06
-59.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$5.46 €4.86
-52.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$4.80 €4.27
-20.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.67 €1.48
4.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$2.16 €1.92
-33.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$3.00 €2.67
-49.00%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$4.54 €4.04
-52.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$14.92 €13.27
28.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$12.49 €11.11
-73.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$19.61 €17.44
-43.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$2.59 €2.30
13.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$2.06 €1.84
-18.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$2.33 €2.07
-1.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$2.38 €2.11
-10.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$1.44 €1.28
6.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$1.60 €1.42
-15.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$1.32 €1.17
-15.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.51 €0.46
7.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$6.63 €5.90
-35.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$5.42 €4.82
235.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.56 €1.39
11.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$2.50 €2.22
11.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$1.65 €1.47
34.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$39.01 €34.70
-43.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$4.42 €3.93
-34.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.24 €1.11
-18.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$23.16 €20.60
-83.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$2.15 €1.91
-30.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$35.3K €31.4K
-24.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$35.4K €31.5K
-24.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$197 €175
-49.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$9.61 €8.55
17.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$31.13 €27.69
-44.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$56.1 €49.93
-6.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$11.20 €9.96
-3.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$11.07 €9.85
-31.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$449 €400
24.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$8,805 €7,832
30.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$72.2 €64.2
-12.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$36.65 €32.60
-22.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$84.6 €75.2
13.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$125 €111
-29.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$853 €759
-14.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$673 €599
-31.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$1,130 €1,005
85.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$990 €881
23.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ostia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$1,992 €1,772
-75.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.5
59.14%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ostia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Ostia
$673 46.3% $213
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Ostia
$324 20.9% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Ostia
$237 85.4% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Ostia
$143 15.3% $19
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Ostia
$244 101% $123
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Ostia
$78 16.1% $11
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Ostia
$56 44.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $853 in Ostia. 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 304% higher in Ostia, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $66.0 in Ostia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $324 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇹 Ostia
🕒 Local time
09:50 9:50 AM
04:50 4:50 AM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
79,400
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Ostia 9,100 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Ostia

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 Ostia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ostia cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Ostia is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $2,634 in Ostia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $558 per month in Phuket and $449 in Ostia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Ostia?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Ostia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Ostia?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Ostia at $1,756. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Ostia more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Ostia?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ostia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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