Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yala Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $895 in Yala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,453 in Yala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,011 in Yala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than Yala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Yala 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.51 ฿49.26

201.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$27.44 ฿894

69.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.14 ฿200

37.95%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.02 ฿65.6

50.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.55 ฿17.80

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.21 ฿6.87

76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.50 ฿81.4

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.68 ฿120

-0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.68 ฿54.6

29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.34 ฿43.59

41.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.32 ฿43.06

66.67%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.23 ฿72.5

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$18.63 ฿607

7.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.01 ฿98.0

21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.61 ฿346

24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.12 ฿102

3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.24 ฿40.52

37.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.88 ฿61.4

27.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.59 ฿51.9

30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.46 ฿47.42

8.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.24 ฿40.48

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.97 ฿31.64

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.51 ฿16.71

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.39 ฿143

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$16.04 ฿523

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.72 ฿56.0

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.76 ฿90.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.64 ฿20.87

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.07 ฿34.82

193.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.14 ฿37.04

-8.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.07 ฿198

126.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.06 ฿34.61

26.42%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$27.8K ฿904.0K

-0.28%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.1K ฿883.0K

24.90%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$76.2 ฿2,483

62.11%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$12.45 ฿405

8.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$18.30 ฿596

2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$48.51 ฿1,580

27.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.14 ฿395

42.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.07 ฿230

29.28%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$294 ฿9,568

139.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$9,514 ฿309.9K

66.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$33.42 ฿1,089

77.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$34.22 ฿1,115

2.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$101 ฿3,279

14.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$71.0 ฿2,313

18.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$415 ฿13.5K

48.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$286 ฿9,322

51.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$803 ฿26.2K

156.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$644 ฿21.0K

134.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,912 ฿62.3K

90.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,342 ฿43.7K

95.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Yala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $415 in Yala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Yala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $249 per month, with Yala 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 Yala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,343 in Yala 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $415 in Yala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $294 in Yala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Yala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $895 in Yala versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Yala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Yala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.