Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shiraz Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shiraz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $547 in Shiraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $859 in Shiraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,170 in Shiraz.

Living in Phuket is roughly 123% more expensive than Shiraz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Shiraz 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$6.17 $6.17

-26.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$13.91 $13.91

235.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$3.47 $3.47

144.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.01 $1.01

204.95%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.46 $1.46

-53.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.19 $1.19

-69.75%

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

$0.64 $0.64

242.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.50 $0.50

262.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.52 $1.52

46.71%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.13 $1.13

98.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$2.90 $2.90

575.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.75 $3.75

-0.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$9.54 $9.54

41.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$0.88 $0.88

281.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.73 $1.73

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.98 $0.98

145.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.54 $0.54

268.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.52 $0.52

194.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.45 $0.45

222.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.69 $0.69

46.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.26 $0.26

84.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.98 $0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 $0.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.31 $2.31

84.85%

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

$0.20 $0.20

610.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$2.37 $2.37

394.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.29 $0.29

934.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.19 $0.19

452.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$1.73 $1.73

703.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.74 $0.74

74.32%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$75.7K $75.7K

-62.95%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$79.2K $79.2K

-57.71%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$37.25 $37.25

227.46%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$1.97 $1.97

607.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$19.59 $19.59

-3.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$15.95 $15.95

284.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$15.87 $15.87

6.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$2.01 $2.01

342.29%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$155 $155

344.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$2,143 $2,143

654.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$24.05 $24.05

140.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$20.53 $20.53

72.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$72.5 $72.5

56.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$41.74 $41.74

98.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$283 $283

114.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$202 $202

121.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$469 $469

332.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$394 $394

278.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,076 $1,076

233.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$528 $528

389.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$202 $202

149.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

22.24

-76.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Shiraz: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $283 in Shiraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 150% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Shiraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $108 per month, with Shiraz 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 Shiraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shiraz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 150% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $283 in Shiraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $155 in Shiraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 171% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $547 in Shiraz versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shiraz but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shiraz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shiraz 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 Shiraz 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 Shiraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.