Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Panglao

For one person, living is cheaper in Panglao: $795 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Panglao
Learn more

Panglao Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Panglao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$795

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Panglao

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 Panglao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $795 in Panglao, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Panglao $795

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,113 in Panglao, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Panglao $1,113

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,431 in Panglao, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Panglao $1,431

Phuket costs about 63% more than Panglao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Panglao are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Panglao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$3.89 ₱245

12.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,080

$23.45 ₱1,476

37.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿291

$3.93 ₱247

121.37%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.1

$2.14 ₱135

27.10%

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

$0.93 ฿31.11

$0.69 ₱43.44

34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.47 ₱29.59

6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.6

$1.54 ₱96.8

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$1.84 ₱116

97.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$1.58 ₱99.4

10.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.51

$1.09 ₱68.8

33.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$0.92 ₱58.0

63.04%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.6

$1.69 ₱106

28.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿638

$4.73 ₱298

303.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$4.52 ₱284

-24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿364

$7.65 ₱482

42.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.3

$1.90 ₱120

54.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.31 ₱82.7

29.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.4

$1.94 ₱122

12.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.0

$1.49 ₱94.0

42.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.77

$2.30 ₱145

-36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.74

$1.89 ₱119

-27.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿35.98

$1.07 ₱67.3

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.46 ₱28.65

19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

$2.89 ₱182

53.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿610

$5.73 ₱361

218.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.3

$0.80 ₱50.1

121.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.3

$1.55 ₱97.4

85.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.40

$0.22 ₱13.79

559.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,835

$12.47 ₱785

340.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.74 ₱46.40

104.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.94

$0.22 ₱13.88

254.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿128

$1.85 ₱117

107.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.74

$0.94 ₱59.2

58.51%

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

$26.9K ฿898.9K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

27.67%

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

$26.3K ฿881.0K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

37.69%

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

$97.8 ฿3,271

$58.2 ₱3,666

67.97%

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

$11.29 ฿378

$6.53 ₱411

72.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿575

$23.87 ₱1,503

-27.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,285

$20.83 ₱1,312

228.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿365

$5.16 ₱325

111.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿248

$3.92 ₱247

89.54%

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

$530 ฿17.7K

$132 ₱8,317

301.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿628.1K

$7,973 ₱502.0K

135.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,062

$32.20 ₱2,027

91.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿945

$19.54 ₱1,231

44.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,210

$66.0 ₱4,155

45.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,903

$46.55 ₱2,931

86.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.1K

$279 ₱17.6K

158.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.0K

$336 ₱21.2K

51.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.2K

$541 ₱34.1K

260.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.7K

$396 ₱25.0K

252.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿140.2K

$933 ₱58.7K

349.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.3K

$1,091 ₱68.7K

202.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Panglao: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Panglao

$336 42.2% 34% $173

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Panglao

$168 21.2% 36.9% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Panglao

$89 11.1% 29.8% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Panglao

$74 9.3% 39.8% $49

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Panglao

$85 10.6% 29.2% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Panglao

$29 3.6% 65.5% $55

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Panglao

$15 1.9% 77% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $279 in Panglao. 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 in Phuket versus $23 in Panglao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $168 – making Panglao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇭 Panglao

🕒 Local time

12:06 12:06 PM

13:06 1:06 PM

1 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

39,839

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 62.97 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.68 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Panglao 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Panglao

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 Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 63% more than Panglao, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $1,193 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $279 there versus $721 in Phuket.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $23 in Panglao. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Panglao – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Panglao is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 39% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.