Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pago Pago Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pago Pago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $799 in Pago Pago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,400 in Pago Pago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,002 in Pago Pago.

Living in Phuket is roughly 54% more expensive than Pago Pago, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Pago Pago 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$25.10 $25.10

-81.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$6.93 $6.93

575.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$0.99 $0.99

203.03%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.28 $1.28

-42.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.97 $1.97

23.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.95 $1.95

85.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.62 $2.62

-13.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.94 $2.94

-37.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$4.35 $4.35

-48.51%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$4.46 $4.46

-47.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.16 $10.16

93.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.28 $11.28

16.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$11.58 $11.58

-61.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$14.78 $14.78

27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.03 $3.03

-9.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$2.05 $2.05

-31.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.95 $4.95

-36.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.31 $1.31

3.05%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

$30.40 $30.40

-55.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$75.5 $75.5

-75.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$49.09 $49.09

25.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$9.82 $9.82

71.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$8.82 $8.82

4.20%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$147 $147

318.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$199 $199

123.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$902 $902

127.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$696 $696

114.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$18.2K $18.2K

-79.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$10.6K $10.6K

-75.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,220 $1,220

-57.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $147 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pago Pago pays 133% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $7.00 in Pago Pago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $191 per month, with Pago Pago cheaper across the board.

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 Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pago Pago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Pago Pago earns 133% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $147 in Pago Pago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $799 in Pago Pago – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $799 in Pago Pago versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pago Pago delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $799 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pago Pago hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pago Pago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.