Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vang Vieng

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Vang Vieng

🇱🇦 Laos

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,091

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.3

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.4

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.61

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿374

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.5

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.2

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.57

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿631

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿749

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.07

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

$26.3K ฿885.5K

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

$26.2K ฿880.7K

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

$96.7 ฿3,249

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

$11.41 ฿384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿575

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,775

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿257

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

$555 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,131

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,251

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,978

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Vang Vieng: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Vang Vieng

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Vang Vieng

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Vang Vieng

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Vang Vieng

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Vang Vieng

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Vang Vieng

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Vang Vieng

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇱🇦 Vang Vieng

🕒 Local time

14:53 2:53 PM

Same time as Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

25,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Lao Kip LAK ₭

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100,000 LAK = 4.47 USD

100,000 LAK = 3.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LAK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 33.61 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Lao Kip exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 22,382 LAK (100,000 LAK = 4.47 USD). 1 EUR = 25,083 LAK (100,000 LAK = 3.99 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Vang Vieng 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Vang Vieng

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Vang Vieng: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Vang Vieng 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 Vang Vieng are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Vang Vieng wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.