Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pando Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pando

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Phuket vs $1,002 in Pando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Phuket vs $1,912 in Pando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Phuket vs $2,823 in Pando, rent included.

Phuket costs about 19% more than Pando, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Pando are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Pando 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$13.13 UYU 530

-66.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,093

$43.23 UYU 1,744

-24.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$13.50 UYU 544

-37.63%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.5

$5.02 UYU 202

-44.02%

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

$0.87 ฿29.46

$2.34 UYU 94.5

-62.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.48

$2.19 UYU 88.4

-79.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿87.0

$3.04 UYU 123

-14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

$3.56 UYU 143

2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.5

$1.14 UYU 45.85

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.69

$2.79 UYU 112

-48.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$1.66 UYU 66.9

-6.02%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.7

$4.19 UYU 169

-49.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿657

$11.87 UYU 479

64.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$11.72 UYU 473

-70.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿375

$11.96 UYU 482

-6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.99 UYU 121

-5.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$3.35 UYU 135

-51.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$2.22 UYU 89.4

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.3

$4.04 UYU 163

-46.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$2.12 UYU 85.7

-29.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.65

$2.02 UYU 81.4

-34.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.92

$1.51 UYU 60.9

-29.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.10

$1.90 UYU 76.7

-73.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿148

$10.08 UYU 407

-56.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿632

$8.26 UYU 333

127.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.6

$2.99 UYU 121

-41.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$3.38 UYU 137

-17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿750

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.45 UYU 139

-12.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.63

$3.50 UYU 141

-69.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

$9.72 UYU 392

-61.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.16

$2.15 UYU 86.6

-33.49%

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

$26.3K ฿887.1K

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

-26.52%

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

$26.2K ฿882.3K

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

-34.10%

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

$96.7 ฿3,254

$113 UYU 4,548

-14.26%

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

$11.41 ฿384

$23.84 UYU 962

-52.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿576

$47.67 UYU 1,923

-64.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,778

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿258

$12.29 UYU 496

-37.75%

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

$555 ฿18.7K

$499 UYU 20.1K

11.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

$6,612 UYU 266.7K

70.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,135

$87.7 UYU 3,538

-27.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿963

$36.98 UYU 1,492

-22.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,256

$167 UYU 6,724

-41.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,983

$118 UYU 4,777

-25.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

$341 UYU 13.7K

115.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.8K

$732 UYU 29.5K

187.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿40.0K

$587 UYU 23.7K

102.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Pando: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $735 in Phuket versus $341 in Pando. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $43.00 in Pando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $334 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,190 in Phuket, $1,002 in Pando – roughly 19% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,785 per month in Phuket and $1,502 in Pando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pando, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,190 in Phuket and $1,002 in Pando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Phuket and $499 in Pando. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pando, where all-in costs run around $1,002, than in Phuket at $1,190. In Pando 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 $1,002 in Pando to $1,190 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 Pando. 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.