Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Uman Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Uman

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $616 in Uman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $977 in Uman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,337 in Uman.

Living in Phuket is roughly 100% more expensive than Uman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Uman 54% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Uman
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 āļŋ151
$7.44 â‚ī328
-37.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84 āļŋ1,532
$28.90 â‚ī1,274
62.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 āļŋ289
$6.42 â‚ī283
37.69%
Cappuccino
$3.00 āļŋ98.0
$1.46 â‚ī64.5
105.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 āļŋ24.25
$0.71 â‚ī31.35
4.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 āļŋ11.95
$0.48 â‚ī21.17
-22.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 āļŋ79.8
$1.00 â‚ī44.02
144.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 āļŋ118
$1.74 â‚ī76.5
107.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Uman
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 āļŋ73.9
$1.09 â‚ī48.10
107.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 āļŋ60.1
$0.66 â‚ī28.93
178.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 āļŋ73.4
$1.42 â‚ī62.5
57.75%
Eggs
$2.32 āļŋ75.7
$1.59 â‚ī70.0
45.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.67 āļŋ643
$8.30 â‚ī366
136.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 āļŋ119
$4.26 â‚ī188
-14.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 āļŋ428
$6.42 â‚ī283
104.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 āļŋ111
$0.76 â‚ī33.65
346.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 āļŋ53.7
$1.65 â‚ī72.6
-0.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 āļŋ79.0
$1.73 â‚ī76.3
39.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 āļŋ66.4
$2.37 â‚ī104
-14.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 āļŋ50.9
$0.26 â‚ī11.44
500.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 āļŋ48.94
$0.52 â‚ī22.90
188.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 āļŋ33.50
$1.56 â‚ī68.8
-34.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 āļŋ16.00
$0.52 â‚ī22.74
-5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45 āļŋ145
$2.74 â‚ī121
62.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.88 āļŋ617
$3.71 â‚ī164
408.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 āļŋ58.1
$0.80 â‚ī35.28
122.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 āļŋ90.1
$1.45 â‚ī63.9
89.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Uman
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 āļŋ45.81
$0.28 â‚ī12.29
400.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.48 āļŋ376
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 āļŋ102
$1.88 â‚ī82.8
65.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 āļŋ32.67
$0.30 â‚ī13.21
233.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.09 āļŋ461
$2.89 â‚ī127
387.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 āļŋ44.19
$1.36 â‚ī60.0
-0.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K āļŋ888.9K
$30.9K â‚ī1.4M
-12.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K āļŋ1.1M
$28.6K â‚ī1.3M
15.30%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Uman
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 āļŋ4,087
$89.1 â‚ī3,927
40.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 āļŋ444
$5.34 â‚ī235
154.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52 āļŋ606
$6.01 â‚ī265
208.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Uman
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.5 āļŋ2,010
$24.19 â‚ī1,066
154.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 āļŋ551
$9.93 â‚ī437
69.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19 āļŋ300
$6.19 â‚ī273
48.47%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Uman
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 āļŋ22.8K
$257 â‚ī11.3K
171.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K āļŋ509.9K
$2,060 â‚ī90.8K
656.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Uman
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 āļŋ1,889
$62.8 â‚ī2,769
-8.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 āļŋ1,152
$40.08 â‚ī1,766
-12.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,699
$86.2 â‚ī3,798
31.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 āļŋ2,825
$105 â‚ī4,620
-17.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Uman
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$616 āļŋ20.1K
$354 â‚ī15.6K
74.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 āļŋ14.6K
$86.1 â‚ī3,792
418.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,048 āļŋ67.0K
$166 â‚ī7,322
1132.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 āļŋ48.8K
$123 â‚ī5,414
1114.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,779 āļŋ123.6K
$876 â‚ī38.6K
331.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,649 āļŋ86.6K
$745 â‚ī32.9K
255.30%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Uman
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 āļŋ17.1K
$275 â‚ī12.1K
90.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
21
-74.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Uman: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $354 in Uman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Uman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $156 per month, with Uman 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 Uman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uman cheaper than Phuket?
Uman is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Uman?
Phuket pays 90% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Uman?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $354 in Uman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $257 in Uman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Uman?
Dining out is cheaper in Uman – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Uman?
At $616 in Uman versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Uman but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Uman the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Uman more family-friendly?
For families, Uman 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Uman?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Uman are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Uman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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