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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $944 in Tak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,529 in Tak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,113 in Tak.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than in Tak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Tak 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.12 ฿102

46.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$23.69 ฿779

37.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.47 ฿245

19.14%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.03 ฿66.9

37.93%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.70 ฿23.13

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.32 ฿10.66

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.08 ฿68.3

14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.03 ฿99.6

22.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.81 ฿59.6

-1.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$1.40 ฿46.05

2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.32 ฿43.33

19.70%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.12 ฿69.8

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$16.48 ฿542

20.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$2.87 ฿94.5

19.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.93 ฿359

3.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$3.29 ฿108

-10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.11 ฿36.60

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$2.24 ฿73.8

3.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.69 ฿55.6

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.49 ฿49.11

-1.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.17 ฿38.32

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.13 ฿37.16

-2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.50 ฿16.39

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.54 ฿149

-5.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$15.14 ฿497

21.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.76 ฿57.7

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.95 ฿97.1

-1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.95 ฿31.27

133.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.25 ฿41.14

142.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$1.16 ฿38.22

-7.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$3.87 ฿127

1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.44 ฿47.30

3.47%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$24.3K ฿798.2K

11.72%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$27.6K ฿908.2K

-0.64%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$84.1 ฿2,763

22.31%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$12.94 ฿425

-15.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$19.76 ฿650

-11.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$48.90 ฿1,607

9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$14.14 ฿465

-20.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$6.52 ฿214

14.72%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$571 ฿18.8K

-2.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$11.3K ฿369.9K

5.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$52.1 ฿1,714

22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$30.46 ฿1,001

-4.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$78.2 ฿2,571

22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$76.6 ฿2,518

17.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$465 ฿15.3K

57.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$299 ฿9,812

67.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,231 ฿40.5K

69.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$709 ฿23.3K

70.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,996 ฿65.6K

80.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,623 ฿53.4K

54.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tak: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $465 in Tak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Tak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $245 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 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $1,416 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: $730 in Phuket versus $465 in Tak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $571 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 $24.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $944 in Tak versus $1,253 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 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.