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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $859 in Spanish Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,446 in Spanish Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,032 in Spanish Town.

Living in Phuket is roughly 47% more expensive than in Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Spanish Town 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.69 JMD 1,210

-41.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$62.6 JMD 9,846

-27.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.56 JMD 1,347

2.34%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$4.40 JMD 692

-32.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$1.31 JMD 206

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.70 JMD 110

-44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$2.43 JMD 382

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.11 JMD 488

20.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.92 JMD 301

11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$2.57 JMD 404

-29.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$0.43 JMD 67.2

406.98%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$3.04 JMD 479

-25.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$3.10 JMD 487

545.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$1.91 JMD 300

90.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$2.74 JMD 431

394.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$2.18 JMD 343

48.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.89 JMD 298

-13.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.53 JMD 241

52.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.83 JMD 288

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.12 JMD 333

-26.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.94 JMD 305

-24.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$2.99 JMD 471

-67.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.90 JMD 142

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$8.65 JMD 1,361

-49.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$11.61 JMD 1,825

59.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.55 JMD 244

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.48 JMD 389

6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.08 JMD 169

193.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$3.15 JMD 495

-67.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$6.35 JMD 999

118.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.22 JMD 193

9.84%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-35.38%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

1.46%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$166 JMD 26.2K

-26.09%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$22.08 JMD 3,473

-37.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$51.1 JMD 8,033

-64.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$12.93 JMD 2,034

-31.40%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$230 JMD 36.2K

198.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$2,516 JMD 395.8K

527.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$26.46 JMD 4,161

124.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$25.26 JMD 3,973

37.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

60.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

8.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$159 JMD 25.0K

290.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$123 JMD 19.3K

263.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$633 JMD 99.6K

221.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$380 JMD 59.8K

293.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,183 JMD 186.0K

-58.26%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $159 in Spanish Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Spanish Town pays 140% 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 $63.0 in Spanish Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $192, 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 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 140% lower in Spanish Town. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $159 in Spanish Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $230 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 $63.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $859 in Spanish Town versus $1,264 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 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.