Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Plasencia

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $1,519 in Plasencia, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Plasencia
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,519
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Plasencia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Plasencia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,519 in Plasencia.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Plasencia $1,519

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $2,284 in Plasencia.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Plasencia $2,284

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $3,048 in Plasencia.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Plasencia $3,048

Living in Phuket costs roughly 20% less than in Plasencia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Plasencia is 12% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$13.27 €11.80
-66.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$67.3 €59.8
-52.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$8.85 €7.87
-1.02%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$1.86 €1.65
52.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$2.03 €1.80
-55.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$1.55 €1.38
-69.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$3.04 €2.70
-16.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$3.28 €2.92
16.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.16 €1.03
49.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$1.66 €1.48
-11.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$1.52 €1.35
-0.66%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$3.39 €3.01
-35.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$13.51 €12.02
45.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$8.24 €7.33
-59.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$16.04 €14.27
-30.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$2.41 €2.14
18.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$2.00 €1.78
-15.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$1.78 €1.58
23.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$2.61 €2.32
-21.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$1.80 €1.60
-19.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$2.10 €1.87
-34.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.50 €1.34
-28.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.73 €0.65
-30.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$6.60 €5.87
-35.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$5.92 €5.27
213.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.14 €1.01
56.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$1.88 €1.67
51.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$1.39 €1.24
62.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$31.14 €27.70
-29.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$1.72 €1.53
75.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$1.11 €0.99
-4.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$14.72 €13.09
-73.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.77 €1.57
-18.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$32.1K €28.5K
-17.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$30.7K €27.3K
-12.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$118 €105
-18.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$16.42 €14.60
-32.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$32.18 €28.63
-46.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$48.86 €43.46
6.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$15.30 €13.61
-27.06%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$8.02 €7.13
-2.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$542 €482
2.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$8,047 €7,158
43.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$89.4 €79.6
-28.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$39.74 €35.35
-27.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$93.6 €83.2
1.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$113 €100
-21.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$1,020 €907
-27.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$633 €563
-27.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$1,410 €1,254
48.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$934 €830
28.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$3,177 €2,826
9.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$1,877 €1,670
34.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$1,339 €1,191
-62.60%
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Plasencia: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Plasencia
$633 37% $171
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Plasencia
$268 0.4% $1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Plasencia
$167 34% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Plasencia
$151 21.5% $27
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Plasencia
$191 57.6% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Plasencia
$65 4.3% $2.9
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Plasencia
$44 11.5% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $1,020 in Plasencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plasencia pays 167% 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 $67.0 in Plasencia. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $268, with Plasencia cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇪🇸 Plasencia
🕒 Local time
20:56 8:56 PM
15:56 3:56 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
39,412
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Plasencia 10,650 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Plasencia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 clothing, eating out, and transport. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Plasencia?
On paper, salaries run 167% 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: $737 in Phuket versus $1,020 in Plasencia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $542 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?
Shoppers in Plasencia pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Plasencia?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,519 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 26% less than in Plasencia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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