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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $851 in Rayong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,419 in Rayong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,986 in Rayong.

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than Rayong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Rayong 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.06 ฿99.6

47.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$18.15 ฿590

156.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.23 ฿203

36.28%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.56 ฿83.2

20.31%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.58 ฿18.70

17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.27 ฿8.75

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.81 ฿58.9

34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.12 ฿101

16.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.81 ฿58.8

20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.31 ฿42.45

38.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.25 ฿40.73

78.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.16 ฿70.3

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$18.73 ฿609

4.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$2.15 ฿69.8

73.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$9.09 ฿295

48.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.51 ฿81.5

33.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.19 ฿38.81

36.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.10 ฿68.3

14.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.05 ฿34.14

89.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.26 ฿41.06

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.19 ฿38.78

21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.75 ฿24.50

34.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.39 ฿12.61

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.42 ฿144

-3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$15.36 ฿499

24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.80 ฿58.6

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.41 ฿111

-19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.89 ฿29.08

59.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.07 ฿34.62

180.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.15 ฿37.32

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$6.07 ฿197

129.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.24 ฿40.29

4.03%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$37.0K ฿1.2M

-24.14%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$29.2K ฿947.9K

14.87%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$57.7 ฿1,876

111.26%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$12.50 ฿406

11.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$17.39 ฿565

8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$69.7 ฿2,265

-12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$18.17 ฿591

-7.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$7.69 ฿250

15.60%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$603 ฿19.6K

14.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$9,367 ฿304.4K

72.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$48.43 ฿1,574

19.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$39.36 ฿1,279

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$77.2 ฿2,508

46.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$58.6 ฿1,904

41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$423 ฿13.7K

43.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$227 ฿7,378

97.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$799 ฿26.0K

153.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$644 ฿20.9K

131.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,976 ฿64.2K

30.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$787 ฿25.6K

-35.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.5

-3.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Rayong: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $423 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Rayong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $233 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rayong earns 56% less. 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: $607 in Phuket versus $423 in Rayong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $603 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $851 in Rayong versus $1,223 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 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.