Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Phetchabun Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Phetchabun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $882 in Phetchabun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,456 in Phetchabun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,030 in Phetchabun, rent included.

Phuket costs about 43% more than Phetchabun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Phetchabun are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Phetchabun 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$1.87 ฿61.2

151.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.86 ฿910

62.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.51 ฿212

29.49%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.27 ฿41.37

130.71%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.72 ฿23.47

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.24 ฿7.85

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.45 ฿80.0

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.66 ฿120

1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.70 ฿55.5

31.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.33 ฿43.57

37.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.26 ฿41.10

72.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.14 ฿70.0

3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$18.70 ฿611

5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.96 ฿96.6

22.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.58 ฿346

27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.22 ฿105

1.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.27 ฿41.36

26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.89 ฿61.7

27.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.51 ฿49.44

37.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.49 ฿48.60

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.21 ฿39.38

22.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.98 ฿32.06

1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.48 ฿15.64

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.45 ฿145

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.35 ฿501

26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.82 ฿59.3

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.75 ฿90.0

-1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.90 ฿29.45

52.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.09 ฿35.75

177.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.18 ฿38.55

-16.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.01 ฿196

134.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.23 ฿40.26

10.57%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.9K ฿910.1K

1.20%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.7K ฿904.0K

18.86%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$77.6 ฿2,533

56.93%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$13.91 ฿454

-2.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.85 ฿616

-2.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$48.94 ฿1,598

23.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$12.38 ฿404

38.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.89 ฿225

26.12%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$296 ฿9,668

134.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$9,735 ฿318.0K

61.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$33.96 ฿1,109

75.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.20 ฿1,117

1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$101 ฿3,303

13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$70.8 ฿2,311

17.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$429 ฿14.0K

43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$281 ฿9,190

55.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$799 ฿26.1K

162.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$646 ฿21.1K

133.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,725 ฿56.4K

117.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,300 ฿42.4K

101.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phetchabun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $429 in Phetchabun. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Phetchabun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $247 – making Phetchabun 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 Phetchabun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $882 in Phetchabun – roughly 43% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,323 in Phetchabun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phetchabun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $28.00 in Phetchabun. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Phetchabun, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Phetchabun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $882 in Phetchabun to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phetchabun. 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.