Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Phitsanulok Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Phitsanulok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $736 in Phitsanulok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,353 in Phitsanulok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,969 in Phitsanulok, rent included.

Phuket costs about 67% more than Phitsanulok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Phitsanulok are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Phitsanulok 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.04 ฿66.4

126.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$18.39 ฿598

154.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$7.91 ฿257

11.76%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$2.00 ฿65.0

50.00%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$0.84 ฿27.23

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.33 ฿10.59

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$2.10 ฿68.3

16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$3.79 ฿123

-4.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.72 ฿55.9

31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$1.05 ฿34.11

75.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$1.15 ฿37.42

94.78%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$1.95 ฿63.3

18.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$16.25 ฿528

21.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.12 ฿101

16.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$10.86 ฿353

20.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$2.71 ฿88.2

25.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.17 ฿38.06

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$1.64 ฿53.4

46.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$1.59 ฿51.7

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$1.32 ฿42.98

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$1.20 ฿39.08

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$0.70 ฿22.91

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.53 ฿17.09

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.60 ฿150

-3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$18.48 ฿601

2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$1.83 ฿59.4

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$3.16 ฿103

-12.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$0.89 ฿28.95

57.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$1.42 ฿46.14

119.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$1.30 ฿42.21

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$8.17 ฿265

72.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$1.24 ฿40.29

8.87%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$21.8K ฿707.9K

24.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.8K ฿709.2K

50.92%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$71.1 ฿2,312

75.78%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$14.10 ฿459

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$6.32 ฿205

193.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$50.2 ฿1,632

22.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$12.10 ฿393

39.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$5.88 ฿191

56.29%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$310 ฿10.1K

125.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$14.7K ฿476.7K

6.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$56.4 ฿1,834

2.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$26.05 ฿847

35.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$83.4 ฿2,711

35.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$72.0 ฿2,342

19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$418 ฿13.6K

47.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$139 ฿4,522

220.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$805 ฿26.2K

154.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$652 ฿21.2K

128.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$2,404 ฿78.2K

57.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

$1,510 ฿49.1K

75.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$497 ฿16.1K

5.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phitsanulok: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $418 in Phitsanulok. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $18.00 in Phitsanulok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $240 – making Phitsanulok 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 Phitsanulok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 67% more than Phitsanulok, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,105 in Phitsanulok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $736 in Phitsanulok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $310 in Phitsanulok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Phitsanulok, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Phitsanulok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phitsanulok costs $736 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phitsanulok. 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.