Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Spanish Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Spanish Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $838 in Spanish Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,404 in Spanish Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,970 in Spanish Town.

Living in Phuket is roughly 51% more expensive than Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.30 JMD 1,149

-37.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$61.6 JMD 9,679

-24.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.52 JMD 1,340

-0.59%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.44 JMD 699

-31.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.33 JMD 208

-48.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.76 JMD 120

-51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.57 JMD 404

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.18 JMD 500

15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.90 JMD 299

14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.58 JMD 405

-26.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.42 JMD 66.3

423.81%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.22 JMD 507

-31.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$3.14 JMD 494

536.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.98 JMD 311

84.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$2.80 JMD 440

373.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.21 JMD 347

46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.85 JMD 291

-8.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.60 JMD 252

49.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.83 JMD 287

13.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.11 JMD 332

-24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.93 JMD 304

-23.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$2.97 JMD 468

-65.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.92 JMD 144

-43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$8.76 JMD 1,377

-51.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$11.40 JMD 1,793

64.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.55 JMD 243

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.47 JMD 389

11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.13 JMD 178

177.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$3.24 JMD 509

-67.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.33 JMD 995

117.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.28 JMD 201

4.69%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

-34.48%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-0.55%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$162 JMD 25.5K

-23.69%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$21.92 JMD 3,448

-38.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$50.8 JMD 7,982

-63.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$13.21 JMD 2,078

-30.81%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$226 JMD 35.6K

210.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,483 JMD 390.4K

539.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$26.33 JMD 4,141

125.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$25.43 JMD 4,000

37.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

59.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$156 JMD 24.5K

297.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$123 JMD 19.4K

250.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$616 JMD 97.0K

234.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$376 JMD 59.1K

302.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,160 JMD 182.5K

-56.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $156 in Spanish Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Spanish Town pays 129% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $62.0 in Spanish Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $193, with Spanish Town cheaper for home cooking.

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 Spanish Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spanish Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Spanish Town earns 129% less. 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: $619 in Phuket versus $156 in Spanish Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $226 in Spanish Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Spanish Town – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $838 in Spanish Town versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Spanish Town but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Spanish Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Spanish Town 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 Spanish Town 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 Spanish Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.