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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $737 in Vacoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,124 in Vacoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,511 in Vacoas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 72% more expensive than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Vacoas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$6.45 MUR 305

-27.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$32.98 MUR 1,560

37.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$4.94 MUR 234

70.65%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.57 MUR 122

14.01%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.96 MUR 45.29

-28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.56 MUR 26.64

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.17 MUR 103

11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.00 MUR 94.9

86.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.28 MUR 60.4

74.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.71 MUR 33.75

157.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.29 MUR 60.9

68.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.18 MUR 103

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$2.67 MUR 126

639.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.01 MUR 142

20.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.52 MUR 261

145.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.99 MUR 94.0

64.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$2.03 MUR 96.3

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.44 MUR 68.0

67.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.74 MUR 130

-24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.03 MUR 48.50

48.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.01 MUR 48.01

46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.79 MUR 37.31

25.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.71 MUR 33.55

-28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.67 MUR 268

-22.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$6.31 MUR 299

207.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.44 MUR 68.0

23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.18 MUR 103

24.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.01 MUR 47.96

35.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$4.47 MUR 212

-32.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.63 MUR 124

-62.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.32 MUR 204

226.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.41 MUR 66.9

-3.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$26.7K MUR 1.3M

5.80%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

12.61%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$49.62 MUR 2,348

145.26%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.89 MUR 515

24.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$25.99 MUR 1,230

-29.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$26.80 MUR 1,268

124.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.49 MUR 260

58.29%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$155 MUR 7,353

346.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$3,977 MUR 188.2K

294.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$29.28 MUR 1,386

103.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$29.55 MUR 1,399

17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$65.7 MUR 3,108

74.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$59.8 MUR 2,830

39.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$266 MUR 12.6K

130.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$238 MUR 11.2K

84.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$506 MUR 23.9K

314.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$320 MUR 15.2K

371.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$700 MUR 33.1K

-27.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.25

25.41%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $266 in Vacoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vacoas pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Vacoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $156 per month, with Vacoas 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 Vacoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vacoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Vacoas earns 38% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $266 in Vacoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $155 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 $33.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $737 in Vacoas versus $1,265 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 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.