Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Palma de Mallorca Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Palma de Mallorca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,185 in Palma de Mallorca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,219 in Palma de Mallorca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,252 in Palma de Mallorca.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 42% less than in Palma de Mallorca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Palma de Mallorca is 63% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿153
$17.43 €14.99
-73.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,482
$62.7 €53.9
-27.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿275
$14.03 €12.07
-39.91%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.6
$3.35 €2.88
-12.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.40
$2.86 €2.46
-75.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.99
$2.80 €2.41
-86.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.6
$4.65 €4.00
-48.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$4.49 €3.86
-17.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿72.9
$1.16 €1.00
92.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.8
$1.63 €1.40
12.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.8
$1.76 €1.52
23.30%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.3
$3.34 €2.87
-33.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$16.31 €14.03
21.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$9.41 €8.09
-61.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$16.13 €13.88
-16.12%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$2.45 €2.10
33.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.6
$1.91 €1.64
-15.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.6
$1.93 €1.66
24.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$2.92 €2.51
-28.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.93
$1.85 €1.59
-17.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.36
$2.30 €1.98
-35.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.29
$1.30 €1.12
-23.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.67
$0.71 €0.61
-28.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$6.78 €5.83
-34.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿633
$5.77 €4.97
235.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$1.30 €1.12
36.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.6
$1.79 €1.54
51.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.79
$2.30 €1.98
-40.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
$44.31 €38.11
-74.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.6
$5.05 €4.34
-40.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.48
$3.15 €2.71
-68.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$25.06 €21.56
-43.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.51
$1.85 €1.59
-26.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.1K
$38.7K €33.3K
-27.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$32.6K €28.0K
1.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,975
$247 €212
-50.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿443
$21.92 €18.86
-38.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿598
$42.42 €36.49
-56.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,967
$58.9 €50.7
2.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$22.18 €19.08
-22.72%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$9.51 €8.18
-8.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.6K
$600 €516
15.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.3K
$12.3K €10.6K
27.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,944
$96.2 €82.7
-38.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,136
$63.8 €54.9
-45.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,743
$96.9 €83.3
18.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,720
$135 €116
-38.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$1,328 €1,142
-53.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$1,016 €874
-56.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.4K
$2,085 €1,794
0.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$1,690 €1,454
-10.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.5K
$7,092 €6,100
-47.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.4K
$3,824 €3,289
-31.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Palma de Mallorca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
$2,063 €1,774
-75.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
3.59
48.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Palma de Mallorca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,328 in Palma de Mallorca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma de Mallorca pays 306% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $63.0 in Palma de Mallorca. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $284, with Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palma de Mallorca cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Palma de Mallorca?
On paper, Palma de Mallorca earns 306% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Palma de Mallorca?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,328 in Palma de Mallorca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $600 in Palma de Mallorca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Palma de Mallorca?
Shoppers in Palma de Mallorca pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Palma de Mallorca?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,185 in Palma de Mallorca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Palma de Mallorca. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Palma de Mallorca more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Palma de Mallorca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Palma de Mallorca?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Palma de Mallorca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Palma de Mallorca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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