Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ratchaburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ratchaburi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $952 in Ratchaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,603 in Ratchaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,254 in Ratchaburi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than in Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Ratchaburi 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.32 ฿110

40.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$36.04 ฿1,191

-10.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$9.35 ฿309

-7.17%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.09 ฿69.1

38.76%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.70 ฿22.97

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.29 ฿9.74

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.45 ฿80.8

1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.80 ฿92.5

33.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.78 ฿58.7

6.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.44 ฿47.66

-2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.37 ฿45.22

18.25%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.19 ฿72.5

2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$15.97 ฿528

24.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.60 ฿86.0

33.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.38 ฿343

9.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.48 ฿115

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.29 ฿42.60

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.90 ฿62.9

19.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.94 ฿64.2

9.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.27 ฿41.84

15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.05 ฿34.83

35.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.24 ฿41.03

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.45 ฿14.77

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.34 ฿144

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$18.37 ฿607

1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.72 ฿56.9

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.95 ฿97.6

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.84 ฿27.76

167.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.40 ฿46.40

121.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.15 ฿37.88

-6.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$3.62 ฿120

6.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.47 ฿48.42

-2.72%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$45.9K ฿1.5M

-39.47%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$27.4K ฿904.7K

-1.46%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$92.5 ฿3,057

13.27%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$11.63 ฿384

-2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$19.31 ฿638

-9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$49.58 ฿1,638

9.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$12.49 ฿413

-8.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.59 ฿251

2.50%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$630 ฿20.8K

-8.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$14.9K ฿492.1K

-22.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$52.2 ฿1,726

21.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$29.94 ฿989

-2.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$95.2 ฿3,147

1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$78.9 ฿2,607

14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$495 ฿16.4K

48.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$284 ฿9,383

76.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,256 ฿41.5K

69.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$862 ฿28.5K

45.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,093 ฿69.1K

68.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,478 ฿48.8K

77.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.96

-6.54%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $495 in Ratchaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Ratchaburi. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $249, with Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratchaburi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,429 in Ratchaburi 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: $733 in Phuket versus $495 in Ratchaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $630 in Ratchaburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratchaburi – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $952 in Ratchaburi versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ratchaburi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ratchaburi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.