Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Patan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Patan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $385 in Patan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $614 in Patan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $843 in Patan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 230% more than Patan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Patan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Patan 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 ฿150
$2.40 ₹225
94.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44 ฿1,496
$10.31 ₹967
350.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 ฿280
$3.81 ₹358
127.82%
Cappuccino
$2.95 ฿95.0
$1.55 ₹145
90.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿22.52
$0.41 ₹38.26
70.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿12.70
$0.16 ₹15.26
143.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿81.6
$1.76 ₹165
43.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿122
$3.12 ₹293
21.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 ฿71.5
$0.65 ₹60.8
241.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 ฿57.8
$0.49 ₹46.02
267.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ฿70.4
$0.71 ₹66.8
208.45%
Eggs
$2.31 ฿74.5
$0.96 ₹89.8
140.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.34 ฿623
$5.09 ₹478
279.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ฿121
$3.07 ₹288
22.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 ฿426
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 ฿107
$2.00 ₹188
66.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 ฿53.1
$0.72 ₹67.3
129.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 ฿73.7
$0.95 ₹88.9
141.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.1
$0.50 ₹47.25
298.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.24
$0.36 ₹33.63
325.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 ฿48.77
$0.44 ₹41.35
243.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.12
$0.46 ₹42.85
123.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.57
$0.34 ₹32.27
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿142
$3.83 ₹360
15.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.41 ฿625
$8.04 ₹755
141.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 ฿58.0
$1.76 ₹165
2.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿86.4
$2.92 ₹274
-8.22%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.06 ₹475
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Patan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.43 ฿46.11
$0.30 ₹28.53
376.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿377
$8.69 ₹816
34.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 ฿97.9
$0.79 ₹73.7
284.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.37
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.68 ฿441
$1.43 ₹135
856.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ฿41.85
$1.21 ₹114
7.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ฿898.9K
$13.9K ₹1.3M
100.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K ฿1.1M
$21.5K ₹2.0M
53.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿3,962
$39.08 ₹3,668
214.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82 ฿445
$3.58 ₹336
286.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86 ฿608
$7.35 ₹690
156.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 ฿1,970
$16.18 ₹1,519
277.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81 ฿541
$7.14 ₹670
135.43%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 ฿286
$2.87 ₹269
209.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 ฿22.4K
$51.6 ₹4,841
1250.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K ฿517.4K
$1,552 ₹145.7K
934.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 ฿1,910
$24.64 ₹2,312
140.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85 ฿1,123
$25.06 ₹2,352
39.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ฿3,646
$42.45 ₹3,984
166.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1 ฿2,740
$31.97 ₹3,000
166.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Patan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$615 ฿19.8K
$124 ₹11.7K
395.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 ฿14.4K
$76.9 ₹7,217
483.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 ฿67.2K
$276 ₹25.9K
656.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 ฿48.2K
$179 ₹16.8K
735.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,734 ฿120.3K
$830 ₹77.9K
349.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,662 ฿85.8K
$538 ₹50.5K
395.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$534 ฿17.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
8.67
-38.52%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Patan: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $124 in Patan. 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 $46 in Phuket versus $10 in Patan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $108 – making Patan 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 Patan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Patan cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 230%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $578 in Patan. 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 Patan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 35% less in Patan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $51.6 in Patan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Patan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Patan, where all-in costs run around $385, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Patan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Patan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Patan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Patan?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Patan. 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.

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