Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pamplona

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,934 in Pamplona, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Pamplona, Spain
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Pamplona
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Pamplona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Pamplona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,934 in Pamplona, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Pamplona $1,934

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $2,725 in Pamplona, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Pamplona $2,725

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $3,515 in Pamplona, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Pamplona $3,515

Phuket is about 34% cheaper than Pamplona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Pamplona is 42% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$17.61 €15.77
-74.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$67.0 €60.0
-51.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$13.25 €11.86
-33.51%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.86 €2.56
-1.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$3.05 €2.73
-71.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$2.01 €1.80
-75.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$3.45 €3.09
-25.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$4.36 €3.90
-15.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.17 €1.05
41.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$2.35 €2.10
-37.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.64 €1.47
-8.54%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.92 €2.62
-28.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$16.74 €14.99
13.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$7.86 €7.04
-58.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$20.61 €18.46
-47.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$2.87 €2.57
2.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.16 €1.94
-21.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.35 €2.10
-4.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$2.84 €2.54
-26.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.66 €1.48
-9.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.72 €1.54
-19.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$1.11 €0.99
-3.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$1.51 €1.35
-65.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.83 €6.11
-38.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$5.73 €5.13
227.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.70 €1.52
7.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$3.39 €3.03
-16.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$1.82 €1.63
-20.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$52.3 €46.88
8.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$3.39 €3.03
-10.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$50.5 €45.21
-92.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.80 €1.62
-18.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$35.6K €31.9K
-24.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$29.3K €26.3K
-9.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$179 €160
-46.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$14.03 €12.57
-19.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$43.16 €38.66
-60.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$42.11 €37.71
59.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$15.57 €13.94
-31.09%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$9.88 €8.85
-24.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$366 €328
30.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$75.0 €67.2
-16.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$33.09 €29.63
-14.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$72.9 €65.3
29.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$113 €101
-23.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$979 €877
-26.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$866 €776
-43.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,429 €1,280
34.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,102 €987
29.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$3,676 €3,292
13.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$3,045 €2,727
-0.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Pamplona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$2,108 €1,888
-76.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.3
29.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Pamplona: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Pamplona
$866 76.5% $375
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Pamplona
$313 17.7% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Pamplona
$236 89.8% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Pamplona
$132 8.4% $10
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Pamplona
$261 115% $139
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Pamplona
$62 24.8% $20
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Pamplona
$63 * 10.7% $7.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $979 in Pamplona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Pamplona are about 4.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $67 in Pamplona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $313 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇪🇸 Pamplona
🕒 Local time
06:59 6:59 AM
00:59 12:59 AM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
205,762
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Pamplona 10,220 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Pamplona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Pamplona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Pamplona?
Yes – Pamplona is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $2,901 in Pamplona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $979 in Pamplona.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Pamplona?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $67 in Pamplona. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Pamplona?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,934 in Pamplona. That makes Phuket about 34% cheaper.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Pamplona?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Pamplona at $1,934. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pamplona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Pamplona?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,934 in Pamplona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pamplona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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