Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pila Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,303 in Pila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,861 in Pila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,418 in Pila.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 4% less than in Pila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Pila 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$9.27 zł 34.43

-50.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$18.93 zł 70.3

72.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$8.44 zł 31.35

5.45%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.49 zł 9.25

12.45%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.83 zł 3.10

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.53 zł 5.68

-67.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$3.29 zł 12.22

-27.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.29 zł 12.20

12.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$0.92 zł 3.42

94.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.64 zł 2.38

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.11 zł 4.12

42.34%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.55 zł 9.49

-16.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.84 zł 25.41

191.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.28 zł 23.33

-45.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$5.19 zł 19.27

118.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$0.96 zł 3.57

207.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.77 zł 6.59

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$1.68 zł 6.23

38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.93 zł 7.18

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$0.96 zł 3.56

53.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.08 zł 4.00

25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.09 zł 4.04

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.53 zł 1.95

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.21 zł 19.37

-18.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$6.90 zł 25.64

166.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.10 zł 4.09

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$1.38 zł 5.11

111.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$1.10 zł 4.10

101.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$31.08 zł 115

-26.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.02 zł 7.51

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.90 zł 3.36

18.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$13.58 zł 50.4

-71.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.65 zł 6.12

-9.70%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$32.4K zł 120.2K

-16.17%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$28.1K zł 104.4K

-2.33%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$246 zł 914

-58.24%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$13.01 zł 48.34

-15.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$11.30 zł 41.98

54.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$39.90 zł 148

34.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$23.62 zł 87.8

-52.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.50 zł 20.44

36.00%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$347 zł 1,290

60.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$7,977 zł 29.6K

48.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$71.7 zł 266

-10.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$32.85 zł 122

-11.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$62.3 zł 231

54.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$66.0 zł 245

36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$633 zł 2,352

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$512 zł 1,903

-2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,026 zł 3,812

103.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$862 zł 3,200

40.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$3,001 zł 11.1K

19.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$2,373 zł 8,815

5.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$1,162 zł 4,316

-56.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.82

-18.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pila: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $633 in Pila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pila pays 131% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Pila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $167 per month, with Pila 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 Pila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 131% lower in Pila. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $633 in Pila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $347 in Pila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Pila pay roughly 63% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,303 in Pila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pila. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pila, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pila are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Pila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.