Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yap

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,894 in Yap, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Yap

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Yap

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,894 in Yap.

Phuket $1,278
Yap $1,894

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,471 in Yap.

Phuket $2,216
Yap $2,471

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $3,049 in Yap.

Phuket $3,154
Yap $3,049

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Yap is 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$29.87 $29.87

-85.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$59.1 $59.1

-45.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$4.42 $4.42

-35.97%

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

$0.87 ฿29.40

$1.74 $1.74

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.29

$5.85 $5.85

-75.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$4.30 $4.30

-65.12%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$5.29 $5.29

260.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$6.04 $6.04

80.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.8

$4.53 $4.53

-35.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$4.40 $4.40

-61.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$4.31 $4.31

-47.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$4.53 $4.53

-54.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$5.31 $5.31

-71.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.51

$1.66 $1.66

-16.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.50

$1.46 $1.46

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$3.87 $3.87

-52.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

$3.04 $3.04

-6.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.97

$0.98 $0.98

47.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,911

$21.62 $21.62

162.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$7.40 $7.40

-59.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$5.08 $5.08

-27.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.75

$1.49 $1.49

-1.34%

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

$26.8K ฿903.2K

$4,019 $4,019

566.26%

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

$26.7K ฿900.3K

$3,997 $3,997

567.78%

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

$96.4 ฿3,250

$80.5 $80.5

19.75%

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$81.5 $81.5

-79.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,103

$24.18 $24.18

157.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$75.6 $75.6

-62.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,180

$80.6 $80.6

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,894

$121 $121

-28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$991 $991

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,004 $1,004

-51.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$1,016 $1,016

89.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$981 $981

45.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.8K

$1,471 $1,471

183.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

$1,006 $1,006

202.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$262 $262

91.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

400000

-100.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Yap: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Yap

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Yap

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Yap

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Yap

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Yap

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Yap

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Yap

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $991 in Yap. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 92% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $59 in Yap. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $261, with Yap cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇫🇲 Yap

🕒 Local time

20:05 8:05 PM

23:05 11:05 PM

3 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

11,577

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Yap 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Yap

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 Yap: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is about 33% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $991 in Yap. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yap runs roughly 62% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $59 in Yap. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,894 in Yap, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Yap. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Yap are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.