Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vinh Yen

For one person, living is cheaper in Vinh Yen: $785 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Vinh Yen, Vietnam
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Vinh Yen
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$785
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Vinh Yen

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 Vinh Yen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $785 in Vinh Yen.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Vinh Yen $785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,201 in Vinh Yen.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Vinh Yen $1,201

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,618 in Vinh Yen.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Vinh Yen $1,618

Living in Phuket is roughly 65% more expensive than in Vinh Yen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Vinh Yen 42% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$1.97 ₫50.7K
122.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,086
$21.01 ₫541.1K
53.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿293
$4.31 ₫110.9K
101.86%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.6
$1.69 ₫43.5K
60.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.28
$0.55 ₫14.2K
69.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.79
$0.31 ₫7,868
61.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.1
$0.84 ₫21.7K
201.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$1.40 ₫36.0K
159.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.5
$1.46 ₫37.5K
19.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.77
$1.11 ₫28.7K
30.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.72 ₫18.5K
108.33%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.0
$1.54 ₫39.6K
40.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿642
$12.80 ₫329.7K
49.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$3.30 ₫84.9K
3.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿366
$10.16 ₫261.8K
7.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.9
$2.53 ₫65.1K
16.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$1.00 ₫25.8K
69.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.8
$1.26 ₫32.4K
73.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.4
$1.15 ₫29.5K
84.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.03
$1.00 ₫25.7K
46.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.99
$1.32 ₫34.1K
3.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.17
$0.63 ₫16.2K
71.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.34
$0.55 ₫14.2K
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$1.22 ₫31.4K
263.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿614
$6.76 ₫174.2K
169.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.6
$0.79 ₫20.4K
124.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.8
$1.58 ₫40.6K
82.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.66
$0.33 ₫8,583
339.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,845
$7.13 ₫183.6K
669.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$0.86 ₫22.2K
75.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.08
$0.60 ₫15.5K
30.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$2.20 ₫56.7K
74.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.0
$1.00 ₫25.8K
49.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿903.7K
$32.0K ₫823.6M
-15.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿885.7K
$26.0K ₫670.7M
1.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,288
$86.6 ₫2.2M
12.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿380
$5.40 ₫139.1K
109.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿578
$9.44 ₫243.3K
82.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,297
$22.96 ₫591.4K
197.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿367
$7.74 ₫199.5K
41.09%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿250
$2.65 ₫68.1K
180.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.8K
$364 ₫9.4M
45.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿631.4K
$15.5K ₫399.2M
21.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,073
$37.27 ₫960.1K
65.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿950
$24.38 ₫628.0K
15.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,228
$91.3 ₫2.4M
5.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,919
$65.1 ₫1.7M
33.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.2K
$389 ₫10.0M
85.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.1K
$300 ₫7.7M
69.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.6K
$740 ₫19.1M
163.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.0K
$549 ₫14.2M
154.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.9K
$2,290 ₫59.0M
83.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.9K
$1,390 ₫35.8M
137.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Vinh Yen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.17
-31.82%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Vinh Yen: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Vinh Yen
$300 41% $209
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Vinh Yen
$185 30.7% $82
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Vinh Yen
$101 19.7% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Vinh Yen
$98 20% $25
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Vinh Yen
$59 50.3% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Vinh Yen
$28 66% $55
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Vinh Yen
$12 81.4% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $389 in Vinh Yen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $21 in Vinh Yen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $185 per month, with Vinh Yen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇻🇳 Vinh Yen
🕒 Local time
23:29 11:29 PM
23:29 11:29 PM
Same time as Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
125,858
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,880 VND (100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Vinh Yen 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Vinh Yen

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 Vinh Yen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vinh Yen cheaper than Phuket?
Vinh Yen is about 39% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $1,177 in Vinh Yen 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Vinh Yen?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $389 in Vinh Yen. 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 $364 in Vinh Yen. 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 Vinh Yen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Vinh Yen?
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 safer, Phuket or Vinh Yen?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Vinh Yen are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Vinh Yen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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