🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,526 in Plasencia.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,170 in Plasencia.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,813 in Plasencia.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 17% less than in Plasencia, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Plasencia is 14% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$11.68€10.05
-59.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$47.20€40.60
-3.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$10.55€9.07
-20.09%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$1.73€1.48
69.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$2.04€1.75
-66.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.41€1.22
-73.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.29€1.97
5.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.86€2.46
30.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.19€1.02
87.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.56€1.35
17.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.37€1.18
58.39%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.03€1.75
8.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$13.96€12.01
41.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$7.96€6.85
-54.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$17.81€15.32
-24.03%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.37€1.18
139.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.78€1.53
-9.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.81€1.55
33.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.68€2.30
-22.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.72€1.48
-11.05%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$2.04€1.75
-27.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.15€0.99
-13.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.61€0.53
-16.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$6.55€5.63
-32.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$6.03€5.19
221.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.37€1.17
29.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.06€0.91
155.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$1.66€1.43
-17.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$34.20€29.42
-66.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$2.22€1.91
36.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$1.09€0.94
-9.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$24.89€21.41
-43.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.77€1.52
-23.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$38.8K€33.4K
-27.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.5K€24.5K
15.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$110€94.6
10.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$24.83€21.36
-45.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$36.98€31.81
-50.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$46.81€40.27
28.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$15.33€13.19
11.81%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$9.53€8.20
-8.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$382€329
81.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$6,532€5,619
140.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$45.60€39.22
30.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$34.94€30.06
-0.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$57.3€49.27
100.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$70.3€60.5
18.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$856€736
-28.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$701€603
-37.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,306€1,123
60.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,000€860
50.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$3,382€2,909
10.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$2,353€2,024
11.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Plasencia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,409€1,212
-63.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.51
51.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Plasencia: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $856 in Plasencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Plasencia pays 177% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Plasencia. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $257, with Plasencia cheaper for home cooking.
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 Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Plasencia?
On paper, Plasencia earns 177% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $856 in Plasencia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $382 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 Plasencia?
Shoppers in Plasencia pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Plasencia?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,526 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 21% less than in Plasencia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.