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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $954 in Pak Kret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,567 in Pak Kret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,179 in Pak Kret.

Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than in Pak Kret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Pak Kret 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.06 ฿102

44.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$36.20 ฿1,208

-10.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.75 ฿259

15.23%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.11 ฿70.5

37.44%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.64 ฿21.51

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.30 ฿9.85

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.45 ฿81.8

-4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.78 ฿92.9

33.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.78 ฿59.6

5.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.52 ฿50.6

-3.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.44 ฿47.98

7.64%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.27 ฿75.8

-7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$15.62 ฿521

25.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.72 ฿90.9

25.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.43 ฿348

9.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.52 ฿117

-15.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.25 ฿41.78

34.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.95 ฿65.2

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.00 ฿66.8

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.27 ฿42.25

19.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.05 ฿35.15

27.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.09 ฿36.25

3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.49 ฿16.40

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.51 ฿151

-5.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$15.06 ฿503

26.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.79 ฿59.8

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.03 ฿101

-8.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.93 ฿31.10

139.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.07 ฿35.79

183.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.15 ฿38.49

-11.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.68 ฿123

5.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.38 ฿46.04

7.97%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$31.8K ฿1.1M

-16.50%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$27.4K ฿915.0K

-1.39%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$93.3 ฿3,114

9.85%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$11.61 ฿388

-2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$18.41 ฿614

-5.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$47.97 ฿1,601

8.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$14.14 ฿472

-21.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.65 ฿255

0.52%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$553 ฿18.4K

1.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$14.7K ฿490.4K

-21.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$52.0 ฿1,734

21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$29.62 ฿989

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$95.6 ฿3,192

2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$79.0 ฿2,637

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$460 ฿15.4K

60.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$309 ฿10.3K

56.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,423 ฿47.5K

48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$765 ฿25.5K

60.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,002 ฿66.8K

80.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,586 ฿53.0K

64.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.38

3.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Pak Kret: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $460 in Pak Kret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Pak Kret. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $244, with Pak Kret cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,431 in Pak Kret to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $460 in Pak Kret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $954 in Pak Kret – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Pak Kret versus $1,232 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 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.