Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rayong Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rayong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $916 in Rayong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,152 in Rayong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,389 in Rayong.

Living in Phuket is roughly 34% more expensive than in Rayong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Rayong 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.07 ฿102

43.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$18.04 ฿602

78.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.06 ฿236

26.49%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.68 ฿56.1

72.62%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.52 ฿17.34

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.26 ฿8.59

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.77 ฿59.2

32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.97 ฿99.3

25.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.88 ฿62.8

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.39 ฿46.41

5.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.57 ฿52.3

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.57 ฿85.7

-18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$17.15 ฿573

14.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.94 ฿98.0

16.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$13.73 ฿458

-17.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.28 ฿110

-9.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.88 ฿62.6

-10.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.26 ฿75.5

-2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.96 ฿65.3

10.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.81 ฿60.5

-16.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.62 ฿54.0

-17.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.29 ฿43.16

-12.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.53 ฿17.71

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.40 ฿147

-3.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$15.20 ฿507

25.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.81 ฿60.5

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.36 ฿112

-17.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.07 ฿35.72

183.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.18 ฿39.31

-13.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.19 ฿207

-37.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.42 ฿47.43

4.93%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$31.5K ฿1.1M

-15.57%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$26.9K ฿898.1K

0.46%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$45.95 ฿1,534

123.00%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$14.62 ฿488

-22.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$11.93 ฿398

45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$68.0 ฿2,270

-23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$18.03 ฿602

-38.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.82 ฿228

12.76%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$543 ฿18.1K

3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$17.3K ฿579.0K

-33.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$30.24 ฿1,009

108.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$44.27 ฿1,478

-33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$98.3 ฿3,282

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$74.3 ฿2,480

19.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$421 ฿14.1K

75.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$301 ฿10.0K

60.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,976 ฿66.0K

31.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$768 ฿25.7K

-35.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.38

3.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Rayong: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $421 in Rayong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Rayong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $269 per month, with Rayong 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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rayong is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Rayong. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $421 in Rayong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $543 in Rayong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rayong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $916 in Rayong versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rayong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rayong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rayong 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 Rayong 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 Rayong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.