Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pilikwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pilikwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $628 in Pilikwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $983 in Pilikwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,339 in Pilikwe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 99% more expensive than in Pilikwe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Pilikwe 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.56 P 100

-39.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$29.88 P 396

54.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.84 P 77.3

51.37%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.28 P 30.15

34.21%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.87 P 11.52

-16.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.47 P 6.24

-14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.29 P 30.32

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.01 P 39.84

25.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.41 P 18.71

60.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.86 P 11.35

110.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.83 P 24.22

22.95%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.41 P 31.85

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.49 P 99.1

160.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.97 P 65.8

-26.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.47 P 72.4

138.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.84 P 24.40

75.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.37 P 18.14

18.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.85 P 24.53

28.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.55 P 20.50

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.40 P 18.53

9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.21 P 15.97

23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.17 P 15.49

-16.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.93 P 12.26

-44.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.56 P 47.11

24.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.34 P 57.5

322.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.62 P 21.40

14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.08 P 27.60

28.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.61 P 8.11

409.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.68 P 35.43

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.07 P 40.63

359.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.14 P 15.07

14.91%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$22.4K P 296.4K

24.24%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$17.1K P 226.5K

94.15%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$69.5 P 920

76.22%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$26.42 P 350

-48.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$78.6 P 1,041

-76.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.59 P 87.3

37.63%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$184 P 2,436

283.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,774 P 50.0K

318.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$41.91 P 555

39.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$24.14 P 320

46.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$74.7 P 989

54.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$98.1 P 1,299

-14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.12

-41.56%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pilikwe: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Pilikwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $179 per month, with Pilikwe 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 Pilikwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pilikwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $942 in Pilikwe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $184 in Pilikwe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pilikwe – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $628 in Pilikwe versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pilikwe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pilikwe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pilikwe 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 Pilikwe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.