Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Xghajra

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,903 in Xghajra, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Xghajra, Malta
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Xghajra
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,903
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Xghajra

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,903 in Xghajra.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Xghajra $1,903

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,020 in Xghajra.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Xghajra $3,020

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $4,137 in Xghajra.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Xghajra $4,137

Living in Phuket costs roughly 33% less than in Xghajra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Xghajra is 40% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$19.39 €17.30
-76.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$85.1 €76.0
-61.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$13.25 €11.82
-33.51%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.66 €2.37
6.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.40
$3.03 €2.70
-71.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$2.20 €1.97
-77.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$4.44 €3.97
-42.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$5.27 €4.70
-30.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.33 €1.19
24.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.29
$1.35 €1.21
8.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$4.28 €3.82
-64.95%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.31 €3.84
-51.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$8.07 €7.20
136.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$10.43 €9.31
-68.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$18.35 €16.37
-40.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.8
$4.07 €3.63
-28.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.80 €2.50
-39.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$3.63 €3.24
-38.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$3.37 €3.01
-38.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.21 €1.97
-31.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.51
$1.85 €1.65
-25.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.95
$2.34 €2.09
-54.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.50
$1.34 €1.20
-61.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.65 €5.93
-36.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$8.21 €7.32
128.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$1.71 €1.53
6.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.37 €2.11
19.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.97
$2.16 €1.93
-32.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,911
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$5.50 €4.90
-45.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.32
$2.30 €2.05
-55.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$27.25 €24.31
-86.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.75
$1.47 €1.32
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.2K
$38.3K €34.1K
-30.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.3K
$39.5K €35.2K
-32.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,250
$102 €91.1
-5.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$25.24 €22.52
-55.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$42.27 €37.72
-60.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$71.3 €63.6
-5.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$9.88 €8.82
-24.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$363 €324
31.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.9K
$10.9K €9,767
2.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,103
$87.0 €77.6
-28.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$40.22 €35.88
-29.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,180
$100 €89.5
-6.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,894
$77.8 €69.4
10.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$1,197 €1,068
-40.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$873 €778
-43.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,581 €1,411
21.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,640 €1,464
-12.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.8K
$4,336 €3,869
-3.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$3,093 €2,760
-1.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Xghajra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
2.9
92.07%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Xghajra: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Xghajra
$873 77.7% $382
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Xghajra
$327 22.7% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Xghajra
$170 36.3% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Xghajra
$137 12.7% $15
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Xghajra
$280 130% $159
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Xghajra
$91 10.8% $8.8
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Xghajra
$26 * 63.7% $45

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,197 in Xghajra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $85 in Xghajra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $327 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇹 Xghajra
🕒 Local time
03:33 3:33 AM
21:33 9:33 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
2,000
💱 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Xghajra 8,940 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Xghajra

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 Xghajra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Xghajra?
Phuket is about 33% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. 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 $1,917 in Phuket and $2,855 in Xghajra 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 Xghajra?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,197 in Xghajra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $363 in Xghajra. 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 Xghajra?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $85 in Xghajra. 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 Xghajra?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,903 in Xghajra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Xghajra. 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 Xghajra?
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 Xghajra?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Xghajra are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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