Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Serrai

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,506 in Serrai, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Serrai, Greece
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Serrai
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,506
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Serrai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Serrai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,506 in Serrai.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Serrai $1,506

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,099 in Serrai.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Serrai $2,099

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,693 in Serrai.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Serrai $2,693

Living in Phuket costs roughly 15% less than in Serrai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Serrai is 11% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$15.07 €13.49
-70.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$33.40 €29.91
-2.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$13.08 €11.71
-32.65%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$3.50 €3.13
-19.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$2.23 €2.00
-60.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.59 €0.53
-16.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$4.35 €3.90
-41.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$5.71 €5.11
-35.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.39 €1.24
19.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$1.15 €1.03
26.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.88 €1.69
-20.21%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.18 €3.74
-50.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$11.11 €9.95
71.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$9.53 €8.54
-65.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$11.21 €10.04
-2.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$2.39 €2.14
22.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.82 €1.63
-7.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.20 €1.08
87.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$1.58 €1.41
31.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.12 €1.00
34.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.03 €0.92
33.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.92 €0.82
16.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.40 €0.36
30.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$5.10 €4.57
-17.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$8.60 €7.71
118.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.19 €1.96
-16.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.21 €1.98
28.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$1.65 €1.48
-12.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$51.3 €45.93
10.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$3.62 €3.24
-16.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$1.66 €1.49
-38.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$12.05 €10.80
-69.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$2.10 €1.88
-30.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$25.0K €22.4K
6.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$26.5K €23.8K
0.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$472 €423
-79.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$16.97 €15.20
-33.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$30.33 €27.16
-44.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$28.37 €25.41
136.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$24.44 €21.89
-56.10%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$7.67 €6.87
-2.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$334 €299
42.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$7,288 €6,527
54.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$44.38 €39.75
40.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$34.05 €30.50
-16.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$105 €93.7
-9.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$77.4 €69.4
10.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$335 €300
113.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$264 €236
86.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$473 €423
307.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$405 €363
253.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$956 €856
336.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$659 €590
362.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Serrai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$1,121 €1,004
-55.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.6
54.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Serrai: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Serrai
$264 46.3% $227
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Serrai
$246 7.5% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Serrai
$519 317% $395
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Serrai
$117 3.8% $4.7
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Serrai
$246 102% $125
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Serrai
$44 46.8% $39
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Serrai
$70 1.1% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $335 in Serrai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Serrai pays about 2.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $33 in Serrai. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $246, with Serrai cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇷 Serrai
🕒 Local time
06:42 6:42 AM
01:42 1:42 AM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
56,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Serrai 8,160 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Serrai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Serrai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Serrai?
Phuket is about 15% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Serrai?
On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Serrai?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $335 in Serrai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $334 in Serrai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Serrai?
Shoppers in Serrai pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Serrai?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,506 in Serrai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Serrai. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Serrai?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Serrai?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Serrai are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Serrai on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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