Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ragusa

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,517 in Ragusa, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Ragusa
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,517
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ragusa

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 Ragusa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,517 in Ragusa.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Ragusa $1,517

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $2,312 in Ragusa.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Ragusa $2,312

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $3,107 in Ragusa.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Ragusa $3,107

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$16.98 €15.10
-73.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$55.8 €49.59
-41.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$11.13 €9.90
-23.18%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$2.06 €1.84
32.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$2.18 €1.94
-56.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$0.93 €0.83
-47.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$5.69 €5.06
-54.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$3.93 €3.49
-2.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.27 €1.13
37.01%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$1.85 €1.64
-22.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$2.44 €2.17
-37.30%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.85 €2.53
-23.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$14.46 €12.87
32.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$11.74 €10.44
-71.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$16.60 €14.77
-32.89%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$2.98 €2.65
-1.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$2.10 €1.86
-20.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$1.71 €1.52
34.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$2.51 €2.24
-15.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$1.71 €1.52
-10.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$1.48 €1.31
-8.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$1.74 €1.55
-35.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.43 €0.38
27.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$6.87 €6.11
-37.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$7.67 €6.82
137.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$2.11 €1.87
-17.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$2.91 €2.59
-4.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$1.71 €1.52
29.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$3.40 €3.03
-14.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.14 €1.01
-11.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$37.63 €33.47
-89.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.99 €1.77
-25.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$36.9K €32.8K
-27.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$34.9K €31.0K
-23.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$229 €203
-56.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$9.19 €8.17
22.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$26.39 €23.47
-34.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$42.09 €37.44
24.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$13.37 €11.90
-18.85%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$8.34 €7.42
-9.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$167 €149
233.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$5,483 €4,877
109.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$70.8 €62.9
-11.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$21.88 €19.47
30.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$84.8 €75.4
13.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$126 €112
-30.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$439 €390
66.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$496 €441
-7.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$939 €836
123.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$886 €788
38.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$1,242 €1,105
178.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$960 €854
159.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ragusa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$1,520 €1,352
-67.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.39
64.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ragusa: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Ragusa
$496 7.8% $36
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Ragusa
$303 13.2% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Ragusa
$264 106% $136
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Ragusa
$137 10.2% $13
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Ragusa
$243 100% $121
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Ragusa
$59 12.8% $8.6
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Ragusa
$16 * 59% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $439 in Ragusa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ragusa pays 208% 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 $56.0 in Ragusa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $303 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇹 Ragusa
🕒 Local time
00:48 12:48 AM
19:48 7:48 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
73,735
💱 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 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Ragusa 8,920 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Ragusa

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 Ragusa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ragusa cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Ragusa?
On paper, salaries run 208% lower in Ragusa. 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 Ragusa?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $439 in Ragusa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $167 in Ragusa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Ragusa?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $56.0 in Ragusa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Ragusa?
At $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,517 in Ragusa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ragusa. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Ragusa more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ragusa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Ragusa?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ragusa 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 Ragusa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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