Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and PermetCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Permet
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,201 in Permet.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,851 in Permet.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,502 in Permet.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than Permet, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Permet11% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Permet
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$11.96ALL 977
-61.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$59.7ALL 4,877
-21.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$9.58ALL 783
-11.59%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$1.95ALL 160
55.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.84ALL 150
-62.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.99ALL 80.5
-62.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$3.01ALL 246
-17.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$4.14ALL 338
-11.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Permet
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$2.13ALL 174
2.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.08ALL 88.6
75.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$2.19ALL 179
0.46%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.85ALL 314
-42.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$12.86ALL 1,051
55.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$7.87ALL 643
-53.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$15.95ALL 1,303
-16.93%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.72ALL 141
87.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.74ALL 224
-37.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.97ALL 161
21.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$1.91ALL 156
8.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.32ALL 108
20.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.28ALL 104
15.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.47ALL 120
-29.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.79ALL 64.9
-34.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$4.28ALL 349
-0.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$10.89ALL 889
72.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.60ALL 130
10.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.07ALL 169
33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Permet
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.45ALL 36.56
202.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$18.55ALL 1,516
-38.76%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$3.59ALL 293
-12.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$3.15ALL 258
-66.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$17.98ALL 1,469
-23.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$2.08ALL 170
-35.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$39.9KALL 3.3M
-30.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$35.1KALL 2.9M
-3.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Permet
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$106ALL 8,651
16.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$17.72ALL 1,447
-23.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$18.36ALL 1,500
1.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Permet
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$54.7ALL 4,472
12.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$25.44ALL 2,078
-32.19%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$9.34ALL 763
-2.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Permet
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$161ALL 13.1K
337.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$5,569ALL 455.0K
185.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Permet
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$68.6ALL 5,601
-13.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$51.3ALL 4,189
-31.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$107ALL 8,764
7.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$131ALL 10.7K
-35.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Permet
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$446ALL 36.4K
38.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$343ALL 28.0K
26.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$615ALL 50.2K
235.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$426ALL 34.8K
254.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$2,029ALL 165.7K
79.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$1,124ALL 91.8K
133.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Permet
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Permet: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $446 in Permet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Permet. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $280, 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
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Permet?
Phuket and Permet differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,201 including rent). Permet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Permet?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,801 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Permet?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $446 in Permet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Permet – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Permet?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,201 in Permet – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,201 in Permet versus $1,261 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.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Permet?
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.
Is Phuket or Permet safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Permet?
Expats usually find Permet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.