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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $358 in Patan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $571 in Patan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $783 in Patan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 244% more than Patan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Patan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Patan 74% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41 ฿147
$2.04 ₹195
116.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,077
$10.20 ₹978
216.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.93 ฿298
$4.17 ₹400
114.15%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ฿96.6
$1.64 ₹158
76.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ฿29.38
$0.40 ₹38.32
120.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.06
$0.12 ₹11.68
300.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.35 ฿78.5
$1.70 ₹163
38.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿124
$3.46 ₹332
7.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 ฿62.3
$0.67 ₹64.0
179.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿48.94
$0.44 ₹42.10
234.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.8
$0.67 ₹64.3
131.34%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.1
$0.92 ₹87.9
128.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.59 ฿654
$4.55 ₹436
330.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.42 ฿114
$2.77 ₹265
23.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.38 ฿380
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 ฿99.6
$1.84 ₹176
61.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.2
$0.70 ₹67.0
140.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 ฿73.7
$0.93 ₹88.8
137.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 ฿72.1
$0.44 ₹42.55
390.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.9
$0.35 ₹33.97
334.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 ฿44.67
$0.38 ₹36.27
252.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ฿37.67
$0.48 ₹46.29
135.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.31 ₹29.89
77.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$4.98 ₹477
-14.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.09 ฿637
$7.98 ₹766
139.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.4
$1.70 ₹163
4.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.9
$2.62 ₹251
6.11%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.47 ₹429
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Patan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.23 ฿74.4
$0.25 ₹24.37
792.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.74 ฿759
$7.43 ₹712
206.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 ฿101
$0.78 ₹74.5
288.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.15
$0.26 ₹24.52
292.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.89 ฿130
$1.57 ₹151
147.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.77
$0.92 ₹88.2
61.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K ฿887.3K
$10.7K ₹1.0M
148.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K ฿902.2K
$20.0K ₹1.9M
35.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ฿3,420
$31.78 ₹3,049
222.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33 ฿378
$3.34 ₹321
239.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40 ฿581
$6.68 ₹641
160.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 ฿1,738
$14.13 ₹1,355
268.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07 ฿370
$5.45 ₹523
103.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69 ฿257
$3.17 ₹304
142.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$561 ฿18.7K
$41.10 ₹3,943
1264.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿384.1K
$1,342 ₹128.8K
757.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0 ฿2,104
$21.92 ₹2,103
187.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52 ฿986
$21.75 ₹2,087
35.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 ฿3,272
$36.07 ₹3,460
171.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 ฿2,954
$26.16 ₹2,510
238.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Patan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$738 ฿24.6K
$121 ₹11.6K
508.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.1K
$76.8 ₹7,364
528.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,107 ฿70.3K
$255 ₹24.5K
726.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,226 ฿40.9K
$154 ₹14.7K
698.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,617 ฿120.7K
$888 ₹85.2K
307.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,603 ฿86.9K
$516 ₹49.5K
404.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Patan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.86
-37.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Patan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $121 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $10.00 in Patan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $101 – 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 244%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $537 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 206% less in Patan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $41.10 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 living in Phuket or in Patan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Patan, where all-in costs run around $358, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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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