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: $1,242 in Phuket versus $532 in Shiraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $784 in Shiraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,036 in Shiraz.

Living in Phuket is roughly 134% more expensive than in Shiraz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Shiraz 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿154

$3.94 $3.94

16.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.86 ฿1,164

$12.11 $12.11

187.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 ฿286

$3.97 $3.97

115.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 $0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

Cappuccino

$2.82 ฿94.1

$1.04 $1.04

171.15%

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

$0.78 ฿25.99

$0.71 $0.71

9.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿80.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$0.66 $0.66

171.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.93

$0.42 $0.42

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.3

$1.87 $1.87

-14.44%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿73.6

$1.22 $1.22

80.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.64 ฿656

$2.33 $2.33

742.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ฿117

$2.96 $2.96

18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 ฿375

$9.95 $9.95

12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ฿95.6

$1.12 $1.12

155.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.55 $1.55

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿77.1

$0.95 $0.95

143.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿70.1

$0.54 $0.54

288.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.36

$0.54 $0.54

174.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.94

$0.56 $0.56

141.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.90

$0.47 $0.47

127.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ฿19.24

$0.18 $0.18

222.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.82 $0.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 $0.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.92 $2.92

47.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 ฿624

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿92.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 ฿73.0

$0.11 $0.11

1890.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿767

$2.98 $2.98

671.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.39 $0.39

676.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.18 $0.18

466.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ฿131

$3.56 $3.56

9.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.69

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

$27.2K ฿908.9K

$66.1K $66.1K

-58.84%

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

$26.9K ฿897.7K

$52.8K $52.8K

-49.08%

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

$102 ฿3,413

$23.45 $23.45

335.82%

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

$10.95 ฿366

$2.07 $2.07

428.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.06 ฿570

$17.23 $17.23

-0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 ฿1,777

$18.57 $18.57

186.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 ฿371

$13.74 $13.74

-19.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿261

$1.96 $1.96

298.98%

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

$552 ฿18.4K

$102 $102

442.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ฿381.8K

$2,359 $2,359

384.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,083

$22.68 $22.68

174.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ฿968

$18.53 $18.53

56.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ฿3,261

$95.5 $95.5

2.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 ฿2,951

$48.69 $48.69

81.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ฿24.9K

$291 $291

155.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ฿16.0K

$221 $221

117.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 ฿70.5K

$536 $536

294.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ฿39.9K

$318 $318

275.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,579 ฿119.5K

$1,146 $1,146

212.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,576 ฿86.0K

$535 $535

381.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ฿17.0K

$230 $230

121.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

24.04

-76.83%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 3, 2026

Last update for Shiraz: August 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Phuket and $291 in Shiraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 121% 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Shiraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $103 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, Getting Around. The 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 121% higher in Phuket, 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: $746 in Phuket versus $291 in Shiraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $552 in Phuket versus $102 in Shiraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 164% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $532 in Shiraz versus $1,242 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 134% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.