Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Serowe Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Serowe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $81.0 in Serowe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $142 in Serowe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $204 in Serowe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 1411% more expensive than Serowe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Serowe 94% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.40 P 18.34

56.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.10 P 14.44

64.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.82 P 23.83

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$4.14 P 54.3

225.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.36 P 17.82

147.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.09 P 14.31

48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.60 P 21.02

24.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.51 P 19.72

1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.40 P 18.29

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.73 P 9.55

-34.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,964

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

$13.93 ฿453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$114 P 1,495

506.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$1,770 P 23.2K

812.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Serowe: June 15, 2026

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 Serowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Serowe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1411% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $121 in Serowe 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 255% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $114 in Serowe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $81.0 in Serowe versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Serowe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Serowe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Serowe 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 Serowe 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 Serowe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1411% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.