Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vacoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vacoas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $758 in Vacoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,100 in Vacoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,443 in Vacoas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 62% more expensive than in Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Vacoas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.91 MUR 279

-25.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$32.39 MUR 1,527

-0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.45 MUR 304

38.45%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.68 MUR 126

8.21%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.17 MUR 55.4

-24.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.62 MUR 29.09

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.68 MUR 126

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.92 MUR 185

-5.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.46 MUR 69.0

28.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.69 MUR 32.44

113.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.12 MUR 52.7

38.39%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.23 MUR 105

-5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$2.71 MUR 128

622.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.50 MUR 118

36.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$11.15 MUR 526

2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.51 MUR 119

18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.28 MUR 107

-26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.44 MUR 68.1

53.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.98 MUR 141

-27.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.03 MUR 48.42

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.02 MUR 48.00

31.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.74 MUR 34.65

52.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.72 MUR 33.99

-23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.22 MUR 293

-31.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.31 MUR 297

202.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.44 MUR 68.0

23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.39 MUR 112

16.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.29 MUR 60.8

72.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.18 MUR 197

-27.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$3.24 MUR 152

-68.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$4.31 MUR 203

-9.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.32 MUR 62.3

12.88%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$29.7K MUR 1.4M

-10.45%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

-14.26%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$44.29 MUR 2,087

131.36%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$10.41 MUR 491

8.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$24.75 MUR 1,166

-29.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$25.18 MUR 1,187

106.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.46 MUR 257

40.84%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$128 MUR 6,033

337.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$7,694 MUR 362.6K

49.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$32.18 MUR 1,517

95.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$38.77 MUR 1,827

-23.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$63.7 MUR 3,002

53.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$46.98 MUR 2,214

88.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$263 MUR 12.4K

180.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$219 MUR 10.3K

120.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$472 MUR 22.2K

346.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$232 MUR 10.9K

427.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$700 MUR 33.0K

-29.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $263 in Vacoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vacoas pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Vacoas. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $177, with Vacoas cheaper for home cooking.

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 Vacoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vacoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Vacoas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $263 in Vacoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $128 in Vacoas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Vacoas – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $758 in Vacoas versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vacoas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vacoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vacoas 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 Vacoas 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 Vacoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.