Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Palikir Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Palikir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,038 in Palikir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $1,606 in Palikir, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $2,173 in Palikir, rent included.

Phuket costs about 21% more than Palikir, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Palikir are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Palikir 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$30.10 $30.10

-85.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$44.57 $44.57

-21.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.15 $6.15

45.69%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.02 $3.02

-0.66%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$1.14 $1.14

-32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.98 $1.98

-76.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$0.98 $0.98

144.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$2.05 $2.05

82.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.20 $0.20

810.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$2.18 $2.18

-34.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$2.24 $2.24

-30.80%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.42 $2.42

-11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$4.36 $4.36

353.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.29 $4.29

-18.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$6.45 $6.45

71.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$3.49 $3.49

-16.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$2.55 $2.55

-34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$3.10 $3.10

-32.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$3.28 $3.28

-55.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$2.19 $2.19

-35.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.92 $1.92

-43.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$1.09 $1.09

-50.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$18.16 $18.16

-75.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$6.73 $6.73

178.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.40 $1.40

31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$1.43 $1.43

106.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.81 $0.81

179.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$33.74 $33.74

-31.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$6.28 $6.28

-51.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.62 $1.62

-32.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$4.73 $4.73

-19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$3.09 $3.09

-51.78%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$4,048 $4,048

577.82%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$3,953 $3,953

595.93%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$40.49 $40.49

151.44%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$14.95 $14.95

-24.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$263 $263

-93.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$40.42 $40.42

34.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$19.74 $19.74

-44.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$6.89 $6.89

13.93%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$114 $114

404.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$1,705 $1,705

582.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$20.32 $20.32

221.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$25.45 $25.45

13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$69.9 $69.9

41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$55.9 $55.9

61.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$860 $860

317.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$689 $689

278.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$247 $247

103.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

380000

-100.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Palikir: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 104% higher in Phuket, 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 $35.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Palikir. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Phuket vs $212 in Palikir – so Palikir wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Palikir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $1,038 in Palikir – roughly 21% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Phuket and $1,557 in Palikir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket and $45.00 in Palikir. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Palikir, where all-in costs run around $1,038, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Palikir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $1,038 in Palikir to $1,261 in Phuket. 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 Palikir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.