Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tak Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $906 in Tak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,476 in Tak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,047 in Tak.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than Tak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.10 ฿102

51.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$27.73 ฿910

63.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$6.22 ฿204

35.53%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$2.10 ฿68.8

39.52%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$0.68 ฿22.16

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.35 ฿11.46

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.45 ฿80.3

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.78 ฿124

-1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$1.77 ฿58.0

25.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.36 ฿44.54

34.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.28 ฿41.84

69.53%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$2.20 ฿72.3

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$18.80 ฿617

5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.97 ฿97.4

22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$10.60 ฿348

27.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$3.23 ฿106

1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.19 ฿39.18

35.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.96 ฿64.3

22.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.54 ฿50.6

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.49 ฿48.87

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$1.25 ฿40.88

18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$1.02 ฿33.47

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$0.52 ฿17.07

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$4.34 ฿142

1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$15.76 ฿517

22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.80 ฿59.1

-1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$2.76 ฿90.6

-1.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$0.91 ฿29.72

50.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$1.05 ฿34.55

187.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$1.15 ฿37.70

-13.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$6.12 ฿201

130.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$1.30 ฿42.53

4.62%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$27.6K ฿905.6K

2.18%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.7K ฿907.8K

18.91%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$75.7 ฿2,482

60.87%

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

$13.57 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$18.37 ฿603

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$48.45 ฿1,590

24.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$12.30 ฿404

39.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$6.92 ฿227

25.58%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$299 ฿9,818

131.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$9,682 ฿317.7K

62.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$33.09 ฿1,086

79.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$34.27 ฿1,124

1.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$99.3 ฿3,257

15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$69.7 ฿2,285

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$429 ฿14.1K

42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$282 ฿9,247

55.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$814 ฿26.7K

157.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$661 ฿21.7K

128.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$2,220 ฿72.8K

68.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$1,379 ฿45.2K

89.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tak: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $429 in Tak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Tak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $250 per month, with Tak 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 Tak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,359 in Tak 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 $429 in Tak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $299 in Tak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tak – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $906 in Tak versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tak but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tak 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 Tak 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 Tak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.