Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Subic Bay Freeport Zone Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $755 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,282 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,809 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Living in Phuket is roughly 68% more expensive than Subic Bay Freeport Zone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Subic Bay Freeport Zone 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.53 ₱279

3.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$16.23 ₱1,001

179.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$3.65 ₱225

130.96%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.54 ₱157

15.35%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.85 ₱52.5

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.45 ₱27.91

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.49 ₱91.9

61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.36 ₱146

57.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.80 ₱111

23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.51 ₱93.3

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.95 ₱58.6

128.42%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.07 ₱128

6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.14 ₱502

142.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.20 ₱321

-30.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.83 ₱853

-2.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.95 ₱182

11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.76 ₱109

-8.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.43 ₱88.0

68.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.14 ₱70.5

82.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.73 ₱107

-11.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.43 ₱88.1

3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.07 ₱65.7

-7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.83 ₱51.0

-38.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.50 ₱154

76.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.84 ₱484

147.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.83 ₱51.4

114.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.29 ₱141

18.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.22 ₱13.50

522.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$18.12 ₱1,117

-37.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.73 ₱45.08

313.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.27 ₱16.67

266.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.10 ₱129

571.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.11 ₱68.3

22.52%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.9K ₱1.7M

1.16%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

89.05%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$129 ₱7,980

-5.96%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$10.92 ₱673

24.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.27 ₱1,127

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$31.14 ₱1,920

93.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$4.55 ₱281

276.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.54 ₱465

15.25%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$150 ₱9,227

363.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,384 ₱270.3K

257.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$45.58 ₱2,811

30.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.62 ₱2,135

0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$67.5 ₱4,163

69.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$116 ₱7,137

-28.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$141 ₱8,710

334.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$88.0 ₱5,424

396.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$366 ₱22.6K

471.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$472 ₱29.1K

219.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,350 ₱144.9K

59.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,066 ₱65.8K

145.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.17

-13.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $141 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $221 per month, with Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Subic Bay Freeport Zone is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,132 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $141 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $150 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $755 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Subic Bay Freeport Zone but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Subic Bay Freeport Zone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.