Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Soustons

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,853 in Soustons, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Soustons, France
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Soustons
🇫🇷 France
$1,853
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Soustons

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 Soustons actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,853 in Soustons.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Soustons $1,853

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,918 in Soustons.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Soustons $2,918

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $3,983 in Soustons.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Soustons $3,983

Living in Phuket costs roughly 31% less than in Soustons, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Soustons is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$16.89 €15.17
-73.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$77.4 €69.5
-58.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$13.21 €11.86
-33.31%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$4.50 €4.04
-37.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$4.15 €3.73
-79.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$3.01 €2.71
-83.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$7.35 €6.60
-65.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$6.77 €6.08
-45.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.25 €1.13
32.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$0.54 €0.49
170.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.52 €2.26
-40.48%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.94 €2.64
-28.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$23.12 €20.77
-17.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$14.52 €13.04
-77.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$20.37 €18.29
-46.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$3.37 €3.02
-13.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.56 €2.30
-33.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$3.37 €3.03
-33.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$3.42 €3.07
-39.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.28 €2.05
-33.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$2.74 €2.46
-49.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.36 €1.22
-21.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.68 €0.61
-23.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$14.13 €12.69
-70.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$6.81 €6.12
175.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$3.39 €3.05
-46.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$3.28 €2.94
-13.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$2.08 €1.87
-30.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$41.48 €37.26
36.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$8.22 €7.39
-63.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$2.34 €2.10
-56.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$37.20 €33.42
-90.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$2.09 €1.88
-29.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$34.7K €31.2K
-22.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$36.7K €33.0K
-27.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$218 €196
-55.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$14.22 €12.77
-20.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$33.42 €30.02
-49.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$34.82 €31.28
93.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$13.31 €11.96
-43.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$1,001 €900
-52.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$10.1K €9,044
11.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$116 €104
-46.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$51.3 €46.06
-44.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$115 €103
-17.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$166 €149
-48.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$875 €786
-18.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$578 €519
-15.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,578 €1,417
22.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,127 €1,012
26.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$3,659 €3,287
14.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$3,184 €2,860
-4.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Soustons
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.79
46.97%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Soustons: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Soustons
$578 17.8% $87
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Soustons
$369 38.5% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Soustons
$266 114% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Soustons
$202 65.3% $80
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Soustons
$308 153% $186
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Soustons
$61 25.3% $21
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Soustons
$70 1.2% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $875 in Soustons. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $77 in Soustons for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $369 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇫🇷 Soustons
🕒 Local time
22:22 10:22 PM
16:22 4:22 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
8,000
💱 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Soustons 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Soustons

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 Soustons: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Soustons?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $2,780 in Soustons 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Soustons?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $875 in Soustons. 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 $1,001 in Soustons. 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 Soustons?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Soustons. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Soustons?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,853 in Soustons, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Soustons. 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 Soustons?
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 Soustons?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Soustons are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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