Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Permet Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Permet

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,197 in Permet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,850 in Permet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,503 in Permet.

Living in Phuket is roughly 6% more expensive than in Permet, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Permet 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$11.92 ALL 969

-62.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$58.5 ALL 4,751

-22.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.30 ALL 756

-5.81%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.04 ALL 166

45.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.87 ALL 152

-63.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.91 ALL 74.2

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.97 ALL 241

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.19 ALL 341

-10.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.07 ALL 168

3.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.09 ALL 88.2

66.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.23 ALL 181

-2.24%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.83 ALL 311

-41.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.38 ALL 1,087

49.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.72 ALL 627

-52.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$15.45 ALL 1,255

-12.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.79 ALL 145

81.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.71 ALL 220

-39.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.97 ALL 160

18.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.98 ALL 161

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.31 ALL 107

18.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.29 ALL 104

13.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.45 ALL 118

-32.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.74 ALL 60.2

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.31 ALL 350

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.78 ALL 876

72.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.65 ALL 134

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.09 ALL 169

26.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.46 ALL 36.97

208.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$18.48 ALL 1,502

-37.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.48 ALL 283

-8.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$3.10 ALL 252

-66.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$17.31 ALL 1,406

-19.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$2.14 ALL 174

-37.38%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$40.4K ALL 3.3M

-31.26%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.9K ALL 2.9M

-6.98%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$109 ALL 8,822

13.33%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.22 ALL 1,480

-24.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$18.75 ALL 1,523

-2.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$55.3 ALL 4,489

9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$25.40 ALL 2,064

-32.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$9.38 ALL 762

-5.44%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$157 ALL 12.7K

338.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,688 ALL 462.2K

177.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$66.9 ALL 5,433

-11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$50.3 ALL 4,084

-30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$106 ALL 8,630

8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$127 ALL 10.3K

-33.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$452 ALL 36.7K

37.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$340 ALL 27.6K

31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$609 ALL 49.4K

234.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$438 ALL 35.6K

241.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,040 ALL 165.7K

69.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,226 ALL 99.6K

106.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.52

-3.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Permet: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $452 in Permet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Permet. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $279, with Permet 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 Permet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Permet differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,197 including rent). Permet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,795 in Permet to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $452 in Permet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Permet – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,197 in Permet – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,197 in Permet versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Permet but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Permet the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Permet are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Permet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.