Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and PecsCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pecs
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,436 in Pecs.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,144 in Pecs.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,853 in Pecs.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 12% less than in Pecs, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Pecs is 4% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$12.59Ft 3,945
-62.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$58.9Ft 18.4K
-45.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$9.44Ft 2,956
-8.05%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$2.56Ft 801
13.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$1.41Ft 441
-40.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$1.34Ft 420
-63.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$1.86Ft 582
33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$2.51Ft 786
48.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.28Ft 401
47.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$1.69Ft 530
-16.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$2.57Ft 806
-36.96%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$3.37Ft 1,056
-33.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$10.87Ft 3,404
82.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$6.91Ft 2,165
-49.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$17.30Ft 5,419
-34.28%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$2.61Ft 818
11.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$2.39Ft 750
-28.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$2.74Ft 859
-17.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$4.06Ft 1,271
-47.54%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$1.18Ft 369
24.58%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.42Ft 445
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$1.94Ft 607
-43.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$0.57Ft 178
5.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$8.72Ft 2,732
-50.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$4.94Ft 1,548
276.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$1.42Ft 444
26.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$2.66Ft 832
11.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$1.58Ft 495
42.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
$24.97Ft 7,821
-5.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$3.54Ft 1,108
-12.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$1.55Ft 487
-30.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$25.20Ft 7,893
-84.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$1.87Ft 585
-23.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$31.5KFt 9.9M
-11.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$39.1KFt 12.3M
-31.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$179Ft 56.1K
-41.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$21.40Ft 6,705
-46.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$21.62Ft 6,773
-18.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$49.57Ft 15.5K
9.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
$18.84Ft 5,901
-39.28%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$9.05Ft 2,836
-14.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$455Ft 142.5K
26.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$7,932Ft 2.5M
46.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$104Ft 32.6K
-38.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$53.5Ft 16.8K
-45.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$100Ft 31.4K
-4.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$114Ft 35.7K
-21.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$651Ft 204.0K
12.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$458Ft 143.4K
9.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$1,023Ft 320.6K
107.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$728Ft 228.0K
72.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
$3,495Ft 1.1M
1.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
$2,990Ft 936.6K
-12.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Pecs
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$1,122Ft 351.4K
-54.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
8
-30.37%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Pecs: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $651 in Pecs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Pecs pays 121% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Pecs. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $274, with Pecs cheaper for home cooking.
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 Pecs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pecs cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Pecs?
On paper, salaries run 121% lower in Pecs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Pecs?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $651 in Pecs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 6% less than in Pecs. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $455 in Pecs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Pecs?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,436 in Pecs, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pecs. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Pecs more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pecs, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Pecs?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Pecs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Pecs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.