🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,865 in Piacenza.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,866 in Piacenza.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,866 in Piacenza.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 34% less than in Piacenza, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Piacenza is 36% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$23.12€20.16
-80.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$79.6€69.4
-59.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$11.58€10.09
-22.88%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$1.89€1.64
53.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$3.29€2.87
-73.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$1.38€1.21
-65.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$5.84€5.09
-59.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$4.68€4.08
-20.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.63€1.42
14.72%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$3.25€2.83
-54.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$2.72€2.37
-43.01%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$3.39€2.95
-38.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$15.40€13.43
27.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$12.99€11.33
-73.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$25.31€22.06
-55.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$3.03€2.64
-1.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$2.82€2.46
-40.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$3.07€2.68
-28.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$4.15€3.61
-47.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.98€1.73
-23.23%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$2.05€1.79
-34.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$1.40€1.22
-19.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.44€0.39
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$6.48€5.65
-34.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$7.10€6.19
168.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$1.93€1.68
-7.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$3.61€3.14
-22.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$2.38€2.07
-6.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$57.4€50.0
-60.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$7.90€6.89
-61.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$2.36€2.06
-56.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$17.05€14.86
-77.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$2.05€1.79
-27.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$32.1K€28.0K
-17.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$37.4K€32.6K
-27.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$277€242
-63.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$15.56€13.57
-27.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$33.58€29.27
-48.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$51.5€44.91
1.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$31.25€27.24
-64.58%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$12.82€11.17
-40.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$411€358
36.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$82.8€72.2
-23.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$42.25€36.83
-30.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$101€87.7
-2.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$148€129
-40.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$681€594
8.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$561€489
-14.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$989€862
112.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$860€749
42.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$3,112€2,713
16.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$1,893€1,650
37.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Piacenza
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$2,087€1,819
-76.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
4.8
16.04%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Piacenza: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $681 in Piacenza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Piacenza pays 323% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Piacenza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $377 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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 Piacenza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Piacenza cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Piacenza?
On paper, salaries run 323% lower in Piacenza. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Piacenza?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $681 in Piacenza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $411 in Piacenza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Piacenza?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Piacenza. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Piacenza?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,865 in Piacenza, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Piacenza. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Piacenza more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Piacenza, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Piacenza?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Piacenza are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Piacenza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.