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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $890 in Phetchabun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,477 in Phetchabun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $2,065 in Phetchabun, rent included.

Phuket costs about 41% more than Phetchabun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Phetchabun are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Phetchabun 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$1.79 ฿59.0

154.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$23.67 ฿778

37.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$6.63 ฿218

34.24%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$1.26 ฿41.26

122.22%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.74 ฿24.28

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.24 ฿7.94

104.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.10 ฿68.9

13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.07 ฿101

20.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.89 ฿62.0

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$1.46 ฿48.06

-1.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.30 ฿42.82

21.54%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.15 ฿70.8

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$16.19 ฿532

23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$2.88 ฿94.7

19.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.77 ฿354

5.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$3.36 ฿110

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.07 ฿35.21

60.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$2.21 ฿72.6

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.78 ฿58.6

16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.50 ฿49.26

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.23 ฿40.27

10.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.11 ฿36.33

-0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.55 ฿17.93

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.37 ฿144

-2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$15.03 ฿494

22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.70 ฿55.9

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.85 ฿93.5

2.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.96 ฿31.54

131.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.19 ฿39.06

154.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$1.11 ฿36.34

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$3.87 ฿127

1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.44 ฿47.47

3.47%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$24.5K ฿806.9K

10.51%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$26.9K ฿883.8K

2.10%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$85.1 ฿2,796

20.87%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$12.79 ฿420

-14.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$19.17 ฿630

-8.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$48.93 ฿1,608

9.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$14.44 ฿475

-22.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$6.66 ฿219

12.31%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$580 ฿19.1K

-4.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$11.3K ฿372.2K

4.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$51.0 ฿1,675

25.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$30.32 ฿997

-4.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$76.6 ฿2,517

25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$77.9 ฿2,559

16.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$472 ฿15.5K

54.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$291 ฿9,550

72.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,250 ฿41.1K

67.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$701 ฿23.0K

72.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,989 ฿65.4K

80.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,648 ฿54.2K

52.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phetchabun: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $472 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Phetchabun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $246 – 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: $1,253 in Phuket, $890 in Phetchabun – roughly 41% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,334 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 $33.00 in Phuket and $24.00 in Phetchabun. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $890, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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 $890 in Phetchabun to $1,253 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.