Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Songkhla Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Songkhla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $825 in Songkhla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,292 in Songkhla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,759 in Songkhla.

Living in Phuket is roughly 52% more expensive than in Songkhla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Songkhla 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.66 ฿55.8

174.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.66 ฿627

147.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.44 ฿116

156.98%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.46 ฿49.10

109.59%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.63 ฿21.11

15.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.34 ฿11.56

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.18 ฿73.4

11.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.36 ฿113

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.52 ฿51.1

48.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.89 ฿29.90

103.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.13 ฿71.8

5.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.59 ฿53.4

41.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$16.03 ฿539

21.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.60 ฿87.4

40.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.66 ฿358

22.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.43 ฿81.7

32.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.74 ฿58.5

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.20 ฿40.50

98.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.24 ฿41.76

63.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.52 ฿51.2

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.74 ฿58.5

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.50 ฿50.4

-34.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.94 ฿31.55

-44.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.37 ฿147

1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$13.31 ฿447

37.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.59 ฿53.6

16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$4.67 ฿157

-42.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.88 ฿29.66

60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$60.9 ฿2,049

-80.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.26 ฿42.44

146.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.77 ฿25.86

35.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$9.13 ฿307

54.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.30 ฿43.78

0.77%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$28.2K ฿947.9K

-1.31%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$37.3K ฿1.3M

-11.01%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$89.9 ฿3,022

36.24%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$12.77 ฿430

6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$18.84 ฿634

-0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$49.59 ฿1,668

21.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$1.80 ฿60.4

843.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.52 ฿186

64.31%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$126 ฿4,223

462.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$9,855 ฿331.4K

60.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$30.72 ฿1,033

90.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$34.35 ฿1,155

2.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$99.7 ฿3,353

15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$21.65 ฿728

286.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$278 ฿9,334

125.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$183 ฿6,148

143.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$604 ฿20.3K

238.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$428 ฿14.4K

248.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,191 ฿73.7K

58.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,588 ฿53.4K

62.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$793 ฿26.7K

-36.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.33

-42.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $278 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songkhla pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $235 per month, with Songkhla 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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Songkhla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Songkhla. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $278 in Songkhla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $126 in Songkhla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $825 in Songkhla versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Songkhla but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Songkhla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Songkhla 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 Songkhla 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 Songkhla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.