🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,506 in Pontevedra.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,213 in Pontevedra.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,919 in Pontevedra.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 16% less than in Pontevedra, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Pontevedra is 12% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$15.88€13.68
-70.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$57.2€49.28
-20.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$9.83€8.46
-14.24%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$1.91€1.65
53.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$2.38€2.05
-71.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$1.72€1.48
-78.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.96€2.55
-18.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.56€3.07
4.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.13€0.98
97.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.28€1.11
42.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$1.74€1.50
24.71%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$2.76€2.37
-19.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$12.67€10.91
55.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$7.90€6.81
-54.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$11.91€10.25
13.60%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.52€2.17
30.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$2.65€2.28
-39.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$1.89€1.63
27.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.65€2.29
-21.51%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.55€1.34
-1.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.54€1.33
-3.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.29€1.11
-23.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.78€0.68
-34.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$6.61€5.69
-33.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$4.68€4.03
314.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.59€1.37
11.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$2.57€2.22
5.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$2.09€1.80
-34.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$28.40€24.46
-59.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$4.46€3.84
-32.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$1.24€1.07
-20.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$20.31€17.49
-30.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.79€1.54
-24.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$38.1K€32.8K
-26.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$30.2K€26.0K
8.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$169€146
-28.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$20.86€17.96
-34.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$36.33€31.28
-49.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$67.0€57.7
-10.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$22.88€19.70
-25.09%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$9.46€8.15
-8.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$294€253
136.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$6,867€5,914
128.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$93.5€80.5
-36.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$36.85€31.73
-5.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$90.3€77.7
26.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$107€92.3
-22.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$643€554
-4.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$514€443
-14.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$950€818
120.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$740€637
104.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$2,792€2,405
34.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$2,524€2,173
3.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Pontevedra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,504€1,295
-66.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.98
33.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Pontevedra: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $643 in Pontevedra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Pontevedra pays 196% 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 $57.0 in Pontevedra. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $250, with Pontevedra 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 Pontevedra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pontevedra cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Pontevedra?
On paper, Pontevedra earns 196% 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 Pontevedra?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $643 in Pontevedra. 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 $294 in Pontevedra. 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 Pontevedra?
Shoppers in Pontevedra pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Pontevedra?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,506 in Pontevedra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pontevedra. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Pontevedra more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pontevedra, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Pontevedra?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Pontevedra 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 19% less than in Pontevedra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.