Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pak Kret Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pak Kret

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $890 in Pak Kret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,451 in Pak Kret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,012 in Pak Kret.

Living in Phuket is roughly 37% more expensive than in Pak Kret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Pak Kret 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$3.16 ฿104

42.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$31.41 ฿1,029

48.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$6.19 ฿203

37.16%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$2.13 ฿69.9

44.60%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.73 ฿23.79

-6.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.29 ฿9.61

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$2.42 ฿79.3

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.42 ฿79.3

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.76 ฿57.7

24.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.34 ฿44.01

35.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.46 ฿47.85

52.74%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.17 ฿71.2

3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$15.69 ฿514

24.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.42 ฿112

8.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$9.57 ฿313

40.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$3.28 ฿108

2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.34 ฿43.86

20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.96 ฿64.2

22.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.47 ฿48.14

35.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.52 ฿49.86

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$1.21 ฿39.70

19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.03 ฿33.70

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.49 ฿15.96

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.53 ฿148

-5.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$15.34 ฿503

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.76 ฿57.7

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$2.41 ฿79.0

13.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.95 ฿31.16

49.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.10 ฿36.11

172.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.20 ฿39.18

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$3.49 ฿114

298.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.34 ฿44.04

-3.73%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$25.7K ฿843.4K

8.93%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$26.9K ฿880.9K

24.63%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$79.0 ฿2,587

54.50%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$12.45 ฿408

11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$17.48 ฿573

7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$49.70 ฿1,629

23.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$12.27 ฿402

37.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$7.83 ฿256

13.54%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$288 ฿9,444

139.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$9,185 ฿301.0K

75.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$29.94 ฿981

93.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$20.07 ฿658

76.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$101 ฿3,303

12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$43.78 ฿1,435

89.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$431 ฿14.1K

40.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$282 ฿9,245

58.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$799 ฿26.2K

154.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$665 ฿21.8K

124.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$2,398 ฿78.6K

49.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$1,383 ฿45.3K

86.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

$761 ฿24.9K

-33.64%

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 Pak Kret: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $431 in Pak Kret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pak Kret pays 51% 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 $31.00 in Pak Kret for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $239 per month, with Pak Kret 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 Pak Kret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pak Kret is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Pak Kret. 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: $607 in Phuket versus $431 in Pak Kret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $890 in Pak Kret – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $890 in Pak Kret versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pak Kret but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pak Kret the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pak Kret is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pak Kret 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 Pak Kret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.