Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ranong Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ranong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $905 in Ranong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,558 in Ranong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,211 in Ranong.

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than in Ranong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ranong 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.58 ฿154

-0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$45.29 ฿1,523

1.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.41 ฿283

5.11%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.97 ฿99.9

3.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.69 ฿23.07

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.40 ฿13.37

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.40 ฿80.8

1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.79 ฿127

-0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.18 ฿73.4

3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.38 ฿46.57

31.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.20 ฿73.8

2.27%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.23 ฿74.9

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$19.26 ฿648

1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$1.37 ฿45.98

166.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.33 ฿448

-2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.37 ฿113

-4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.71 ฿57.5

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.30 ฿77.2

3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.88 ฿29.46

130.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.56 ฿52.4

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.45 ฿48.91

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.02 ฿34.24

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.51 ฿17.15

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.50 ฿151

-1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$18.85 ฿634

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.79 ฿60.3

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.67 ฿89.9

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.93 ฿31.29

51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.09 ฿36.79

185.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.01 ฿33.85

2.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$13.89 ฿467

1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.13 ฿37.95

15.93%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$27.8K ฿933.4K

0.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.6K ฿1.1M

-1.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 ฿4,118

$37.23 ฿1,252

228.87%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.59 ฿457

$13.64 ฿459

-0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$12.31 ฿414

51.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$48.33 ฿1,625

25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$12.37 ฿416

37.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$9.14 ฿308

-0.77%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$706 ฿23.8K

$696 ฿23.4K

1.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$15.8K ฿531.4K

0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$28.00 ฿942

109.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$15.44 ฿519

129.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$114 ฿3,844

1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$36.67 ฿1,233

128.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$428 ฿14.4K

46.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$288 ฿9,669

54.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$824 ฿27.7K

147.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$644 ฿21.7K

131.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,954 ฿65.7K

78.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,374 ฿46.2K

87.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ranong: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $428 in Ranong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Ranong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $268 per month, with Ranong 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 Ranong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ranong is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,358 in Ranong to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $428 in Ranong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $696 in Ranong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ranong – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $905 in Ranong versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ranong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ranong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ranong is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ranong are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ranong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.