Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vigo

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $1,711 in Vigo, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Vigo, Spain
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Vigo
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,711
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Vigo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Vigo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,711 in Vigo.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Vigo $1,711

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $2,500 in Vigo.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Vigo $2,500

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $3,289 in Vigo.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Vigo $3,289

Living in Phuket costs roughly 24% less than in Vigo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Vigo is 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$14.31 €12.76
-69.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$56.0 €49.94
-42.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$11.12 €9.92
-21.76%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$2.05 €1.83
32.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.38
$2.63 €2.34
-64.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$1.51 €1.35
-66.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$3.26 €2.91
-22.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$4.53 €4.04
-19.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$1.20 €1.07
45.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.31 €1.17
10.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.86 €1.65
-19.35%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$3.92 €3.50
-44.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$14.80 €13.20
28.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$8.02 €7.15
-57.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$17.49 €15.61
-37.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$2.20 €1.96
33.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.71 €2.41
-37.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$2.43 €2.17
-9.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$2.47 €2.21
-14.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.19
$1.46 €1.30
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.14
$1.55 €1.39
-11.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.29
$1.36 €1.21
-20.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.40
$0.79 €0.70
-30.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$6.40 €5.71
-30.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$7.97 €7.11
128.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$2.16 €1.93
-18.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$2.91 €2.60
-1.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$1.78 €1.59
-18.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,851
$39.64 €35.36
38.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$4.63 €4.13
-67.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.17
$1.26 €1.12
-38.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$26.84 €23.94
-85.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$1.88 €1.68
-20.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿906.7K
$35.9K €32.0K
-25.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.6K
$31.8K €28.4K
-17.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,299
$170 €152
-42.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$20.32 €18.12
-44.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$39.52 €35.25
-56.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$44.61 €39.79
53.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$36.48 €32.54
-70.07%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$14.28 €12.74
-47.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$571 €510
-7.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.5K
$8,358 €7,455
124.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,080
$79.5 €71.0
-22.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$44.98 €40.12
-37.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,238
$93.5 €83.4
2.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,928
$166 €148
-47.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$903 €805
-20.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$674 €601
-24.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$1,401 €1,250
39.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$961 €857
45.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$2,953 €2,634
41.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$1,891 €1,687
74.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Vigo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
$2,038 €1,818
-75.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.62
53.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Vigo: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Vigo
$674 32.5% $165
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Vigo
$289 8.4% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Vigo
$230 82.1% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Vigo
$173 40.7% $50
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Vigo
$214 79.3% $95
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Vigo
$73 12% $10
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Vigo
$58 12.7% $8.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $903 in Vigo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vigo pays about 4.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $56 in Vigo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $289 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇪🇸 Vigo
🕒 Local time
18:23 6:23 PM
12:23 12:23 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
293,652
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Vigo 10,800 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Vigo

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 Vigo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Vigo?
Phuket is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Vigo?
On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Vigo?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $903 in Vigo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $571 in Vigo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Vigo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Vigo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Vigo?
At $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,711 in Vigo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vigo. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Vigo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Vigo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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