🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,604 in Plasencia.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,400 in Plasencia.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $3,196 in Plasencia.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 22% less than in Plasencia, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Plasencia is 17% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$14.15€12.18
-67.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,072
$70.9€61.0
-53.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$9.28€7.99
-4.09%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$1.96€1.69
42.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.93
$2.13€1.83
-58.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$1.64€1.41
-70.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$2.85€2.45
-16.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$3.51€3.02
5.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.7
$1.20€1.04
49.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.38
$1.74€1.49
-17.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$1.63€1.41
-3.07%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$3.47€2.99
-38.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$14.11€12.14
41.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$8.82€7.59
-61.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$16.46€14.17
-31.17%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿96.9
$2.55€2.19
15.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$2.15€1.85
-20.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.4
$1.95€1.68
18.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$2.59€2.23
-19.69%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.33
$1.88€1.62
-21.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.64
$2.18€1.87
-37.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.12
$1.57€1.35
-29.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$0.76€0.65
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$6.64€5.72
-35.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿605
$6.09€5.24
202.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$1.24€1.07
50.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.0
$1.98€1.71
47.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿72.9
$1.66€1.43
33.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$34.80€29.94
-34.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$1.82€1.57
66.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.31
$1.11€0.95
-3.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$15.16€13.05
-74.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.04
$1.76€1.52
-15.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿891.7K
$36.9K€31.8K
-26.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.3K
$30.6K€26.4K
-10.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,379
$124€107
-16.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$17.04€14.67
-35.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$34.50€29.69
-49.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$46.41€39.94
15.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
$16.35€14.07
-31.50%
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$8.17€7.03
-8.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$575€494
-3.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.6K
$8,441€7,264
40.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,106
$92.2€79.3
-30.49%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$41.73€35.91
-30.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,154
$100€86.4
-4.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$120€103
-24.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$930€801
-21.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$699€602
-28.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$1,401€1,205
49.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.7K
$1,069€920
13.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
$3,459€2,976
3.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
$2,337€2,011
7.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.5K
$1,403€1,208
-64.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.34
66.77%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Plasencia: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $930 in Plasencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Plasencia pays 179% 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 $71.0 in Plasencia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $280 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 Plasencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plasencia cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Plasencia?
On paper, salaries run 179% lower in Plasencia. 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 Plasencia?
Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $930 in Plasencia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $575 in Plasencia. 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 Plasencia?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Plasencia. 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 Plasencia?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,604 in Plasencia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Plasencia. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Plasencia more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Plasencia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Plasencia?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Plasencia 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 28% less than in Plasencia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.