Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Panglao Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Panglao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $804 in Panglao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,222 in Panglao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,640 in Panglao, rent included.

Phuket costs about 57% more than Panglao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Panglao are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Panglao 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.54 ₱276

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$12.24 ₱743

280.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.56 ₱277

85.75%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.55 ₱155

18.82%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.81 ₱49.25

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.26 ₱15.71

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.55 ₱94.0

60.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.93 ₱117

89.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.74 ₱106

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.04 ₱63.2

82.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.03 ₱62.8

113.59%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.91 ₱116

16.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.57 ₱581

108.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.28 ₱320

-30.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.74 ₱470

71.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.17 ₱132

48.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.47 ₱89.2

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.09 ₱127

14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.98 ₱120

5.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.57 ₱156

-38.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.56 ₱155

-42.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.00 ₱60.5

3.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.51 ₱31.02

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.73 ₱166

55.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.34 ₱324

251.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.89 ₱53.8

97.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.75 ₱106

57.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.28 ₱17.06

385.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.89 ₱54.1

252.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.23 ₱13.90

352.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.72 ₱165

406.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.04 ₱62.9

28.85%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$30.0K ₱1.8M

-7.63%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.4K ₱1.7M

23.45%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$96.3 ₱5,844

28.41%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$9.07 ₱551

49.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$26.96 ₱1,637

-30.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$14.83 ₱901

316.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$4.35 ₱264

296.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.38 ₱266

108.68%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$229 ₱13.9K

206.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,923 ₱238.2K

304.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$46.19 ₱2,805

28.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$23.10 ₱1,403

51.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$74.5 ₱4,524

54.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$52.5 ₱3,187

60.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$328 ₱19.9K

88.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$284 ₱17.2K

52.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$698 ₱42.4K

195.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$495 ₱30.1K

205.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$964 ₱58.6K

278.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$861 ₱52.3K

204.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$130 ₱7,887

290.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-33.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Panglao: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $328 in Panglao. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 290% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Panglao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $197 – making Panglao 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 Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 57% more than Panglao, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,207 in Panglao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panglao, 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $804 in Panglao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $229 in Panglao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panglao, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Panglao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Panglao costs $804 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Panglao. 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.