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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,050 in Spanish Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,982 in Spanish Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,913 in Spanish Town.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than in Spanish Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Spanish Town 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$16.10 JMD 2,528

-71.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

-57.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.94 JMD 1,404

-2.91%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.21 JMD 818

-44.34%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.20 JMD 188

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.73 JMD 114

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.24 JMD 352

10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.07 JMD 483

21.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$4.03 JMD 632

-53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$3.70 JMD 581

-61.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.59 JMD 250

1.89%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.64 JMD 571

-38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.62 JMD 1,825

70.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.31 JMD 990

-44.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.16 JMD 1,596

11.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.94 JMD 934

-51.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$3.86 JMD 606

-55.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$7.36 JMD 1,156

-69.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.14 JMD 493

-32.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.29 JMD 517

-55.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.12 JMD 334

-33.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.00 JMD 472

-63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.50 JMD 236

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.26 JMD 1,454

-53.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.53 JMD 1,812

61.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.84 JMD 445

-36.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$4.04 JMD 635

-26.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.22 JMD 191

154.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.19 JMD 500

-66.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.49 JMD 1,019

-40.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.35 JMD 212

5.93%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

-37.44%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

-18.75%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$172 JMD 27.1K

-39.15%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.62 JMD 4,652

-61.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$52.0 JMD 8,168

-66.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$13.19 JMD 2,072

-41.02%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$367 JMD 57.7K

57.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,158 JMD 1.3M

41.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$23.87 JMD 3,750

166.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$31.43 JMD 4,938

-7.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$78.1 JMD 12.3K

23.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$103 JMD 16.2K

-12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$630 JMD 99.0K

237.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$515 JMD 80.9K

143.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$1,148 JMD 180.3K

-55.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Spanish Town pays 126% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $75.0 in Spanish Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $383 per month, with Phuket 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 Spanish Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spanish Town is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 126% 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.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $367 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 $75.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,050 in Spanish Town versus $1,265 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 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.