Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yap Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yap

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,883 in Yap.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,461 in Yap.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $3,038 in Yap.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 35% less than in Yap, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Yap is 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$30.03 $30.03

-84.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$59.7 $59.7

-21.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$4.42 $4.42

-30.32%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.73 $1.73

-60.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$5.93 $5.93

-69.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$4.36 $4.36

-48.85%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$5.27 $5.27

271.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$6.01 $6.01

124.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$4.50 $4.50

-25.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$4.35 $4.35

-62.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$4.45 $4.45

-45.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$4.54 $4.54

-56.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$5.25 $5.25

-70.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.67 $1.67

-13.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.47 $1.47

-67.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$3.68 $3.68

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.94 $2.94

-6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.97 $0.97

46.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$21.86 $21.86

-46.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$7.42 $7.42

-59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$4.96 $4.96

180.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.49 $1.49

-13.42%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$4,051 $4,051

592.00%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$3,955 $3,955

747.17%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$78.5 $78.5

55.49%

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

$13.93 ฿453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$80.8 $80.8

-76.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$23.60 $23.60

144.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$75.9 $75.9

-53.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$80.4 $80.4

41.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$120 $120

-30.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$981 $981

-38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$982 $982

-54.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,003 $1,003

102.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,000 $1,000

49.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,507 $1,507

137.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$985 $985

162.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$261 $261

93.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

400000

-100.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Yap: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $981 in Yap. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 93% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Yap. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $261, with Yap cheaper for home cooking.

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 cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 93% more on average, 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: $607 in Phuket versus $981 in Yap. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $60.0 in Yap. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 87% less than in Yap. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,883 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.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Yap, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Yap 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Yap. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.