For one person, living is cheaper in Pec: $665 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Pec actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $665 in Pec, rent included.
Phuket $1,207
Pec $665
A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $1,078 in Pec, rent included.
Phuket $2,037
Pec $1,078
A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $1,490 in Pec, rent included.
Phuket $2,867
Pec $1,490
😐
Phuket costs about 82% more than Pec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Phuket and Pec are more affordable than the global median – Phuket11% lower, Pec51% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Pec
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58฿153
$5.52€4.91
-17.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48฿1,086
$22.36€19.89
45.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.55฿286
$4.33€3.85
97.46%
Cappuccino
$2.72฿91.0
$1.32€1.18
106.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94฿31.25
$1.56€1.39
-39.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.39
$1.05€0.94
-53.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.59฿86.6
$1.96€1.74
32.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83฿128
$2.77€2.46
38.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Pec
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.74฿58.1
$1.28€1.13
35.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43฿47.82
$0.63€0.56
126.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.53฿51.0
$1.32€1.17
15.91%
Eggs
$2.17฿72.7
$1.81€1.61
19.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.15฿640
$7.63€6.78
150.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.30฿110
$6.50€5.78
-49.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.14฿372
$12.30€10.94
-9.43%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿98.5
$1.43€1.27
106.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$1.42€1.27
18.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.30฿76.8
$1.11€0.98
107.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿71.3
$1.69€1.51
26.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.1
$0.90€0.80
70.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿45.55
$0.87€0.77
56.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12฿37.44
$0.79€0.71
41.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.50€0.44
10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$2.84€2.53
50.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.19฿608
$5.56€4.94
227.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74฿58.2
$0.88€0.79
97.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79฿93.3
$1.19€1.06
134.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Pec
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿74.1
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.06฿737
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.91฿97.3
$2.19€1.94
32.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.01฿33.79
$0.55€0.49
83.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.83฿128
$3.30€2.94
16.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.85
$1.42€1.26
4.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K฿891.6K
$22.3K€19.8K
19.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K฿892.7K
$26.2K€23.3K
2.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Pec
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$99.4฿3,321
$104€92.3
-4.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28฿377
$11.14€9.91
1.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36฿580
$23.36€20.78
-25.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Pec
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.3฿1,747
$21.87€19.46
139.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85฿362
$33.79€30.06
-67.89%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57฿253
$4.56€4.06
66.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Pec
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$558฿18.7K
$150€133
273.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.9K
$2,954€2,627
288.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Pec
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9฿2,102
$41.97€37.33
49.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58฿955
$28.42€25.28
0.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.1฿3,213
$63.6€56.6
51.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1฿2,943
$81.5€72.5
8.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Pec
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$729฿24.4K
$167€149
336.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$460฿15.4K
$111€98.7
314.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,096฿70.0K
$335€298
525.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,222฿40.8K
$277€247
340.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,459฿115.6K
$1,251€1,112
176.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,489฿83.2K
$1,043€928
138.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Pec
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$493฿16.5K
$471€419
4.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
4.5
23.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026
Last update for Pec: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460 38.1%
Pec
$111 16.7% ↓ 75.9%$349
🛒Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268 22.2%
Pec
$184 27.7% ↓ 31.2%$84
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128 10.6%
Pec
$138 20.8% ↑ 8%$10
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124 10.3%
Pec
$97 14.6% ↓ 21.8%$27
🍽Eating Out
Phuket
$121 10.1%
Pec
$99 14.9% ↓ 18.5%$22
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67 5.6%
Pec
$31 4.7% ↓ 54%$36
🚌Getting Around
Phuket
$39 3.2%
Pec
$4.9 * 0.7% ↓ 87.3%$34
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$1.2K 42.6%
Pec
$277 18.6% ↓ 77.3%$945
🛒Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$605 21.1%
Pec
$435 29.2% ↓ 28%$169
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$139 4.9%
Pec
$149 10% ↑ 7.2%$10
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$276 9.6%
Pec
$215 14.5% ↓ 21.8%$60
🍽Eating Out
Phuket
$398 13.9%
Pec
$307 20.6% ↓ 22.8%$91
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$146 5.1%
Pec
$96 6.4% ↓ 34.3%$50
🚌Getting Around
Phuket
$82 2.9%
Pec
$9.9 * 0.7% ↓ 88%$72
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $167 in Pec. 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 5% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Pec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $184 – making Pec the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Pec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Pec?
Phuket costs about 82% more than Pec, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Pec?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $997 in Pec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Pec?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pec, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Pec?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $22.00 in Pec. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Pec?
Groceries cost about 45% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Pec?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pec, where all-in costs run around $665, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Pec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Pec?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pec costs $665 versus $1,207 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Pec?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or to Pec?
If budget matters most, go with Pec. 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.