😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $752 in Villa Nueva.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,260 in Villa Nueva.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,768 in Villa Nueva.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 64% more expensive than in Villa Nueva, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Villa Nueva45% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$8.61Q 65.6
-48.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$52.5Q 400
-38.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$8.79Q 67.0
1.59%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$4.12Q 31.38
-29.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$2.09Q 15.92
-57.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$1.41Q 10.72
-65.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$3.95Q 30.09
-40.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$5.76Q 43.93
-35.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$2.08Q 15.87
-10.10%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$3.77Q 28.73
-61.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$1.90Q 14.51
-18.42%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$2.43Q 18.55
-13.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$5.62Q 42.81
248.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$3.31Q 25.22
3.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$10.46Q 79.8
8.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$4.77Q 36.35
-37.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$2.28Q 17.38
-26.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$5.15Q 39.24
-57.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$1.57Q 11.99
37.58%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.86Q 14.18
-18.28%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$1.77Q 13.49
-24.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$1.29Q 9.79
-12.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$1.39Q 10.56
-60.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$4.00Q 30.47
6.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$7.77Q 59.2
145.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$2.86Q 21.79
-37.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$3.58Q 27.26
-22.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$4.67Q 35.62
-35.12%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.20Q 9.12
24.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$23.1KQ 175.7K
15.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$21.4KQ 162.8K
26.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$58.4Q 445
75.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$38.14Q 291
-70.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$63.1Q 481
-72.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$8.35Q 63.6
-7.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$547Q 4,168
2.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$14.2KQ 108.1K
-18.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$44.98Q 343
40.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$53.9Q 411
-45.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$91.8Q 700
6.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$80.2Q 611
10.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villa Nueva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Villa Nueva: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Villa Nueva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $275 per month, with Phuket 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 Villa Nueva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villa Nueva cheaper than Phuket?
Villa Nueva is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,128 in Villa Nueva to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $547 in Villa Nueva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Villa Nueva?
Dining out is cheaper in Villa Nueva – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Villa Nueva?
At $752 in Villa Nueva versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Villa Nueva but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Villa Nueva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Villa Nueva more family-friendly?
For families, Villa Nueva 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 Villa Nueva?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Villa Nueva 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 Villa Nueva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.