Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surat Thani Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surat Thani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $809 in Surat Thani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,312 in Surat Thani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,816 in Surat Thani.

Living in Phuket is roughly 56% more expensive than Surat Thani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Surat Thani 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$1.90 ฿62.0

147.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$18.39 ฿601

146.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.68 ฿153

80.13%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.59 ฿51.8

84.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.50 ฿16.37

38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.30 ฿9.78

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.51 ฿82.1

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.73 ฿122

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.92 ฿62.8

16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.22 ฿39.98

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.10 ฿35.78

97.27%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.89 ฿61.6

16.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$19.57 ฿639

0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.68 ฿120

-1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.93 ฿259

70.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.35 ฿110

-2.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.69 ฿55.3

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.12 ฿69.1

13.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.78 ฿58.1

16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.21 ฿39.61

26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.45 ฿47.42

2.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.99 ฿32.20

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.41 ฿13.54

24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.13 ฿102

40.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$18.86 ฿616

2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.65 ฿53.8

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.69 ฿87.9

0.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.10 ฿36.05

24.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$21.39 ฿699

-46.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.06 ฿34.71

184.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.61 ฿19.90

62.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.67 ฿120

284.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.21 ฿39.37

12.40%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.8K ฿907.9K

1.45%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.6K ฿1.1M

-2.04%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$77.4 ฿2,528

57.26%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$13.88 ฿453

-2.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.38 ฿600

-0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$50.1 ฿1,636

20.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$12.18 ฿398

40.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.49 ฿147

93.54%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$703 ฿23.0K

-1.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$16.1K ฿525.2K

-2.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.3 ฿1,935

0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$35.21 ฿1,150

-1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$114 ฿3,732

0.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$84.6 ฿2,762

-1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$240 ฿7,833

155.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$156 ฿5,098

180.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$693 ฿22.6K

202.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$416 ฿13.6K

262.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

79.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,698 ฿55.5K

54.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $240 in Surat Thani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Surat Thani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $255 per month, with Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surat Thani is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,213 in Surat Thani 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 $240 in Surat Thani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $703 in Surat Thani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $809 in Surat Thani versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surat Thani but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Surat Thani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.