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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,876 in Yap.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,492 in Yap.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $3,109 in Yap.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 33% less than in Yap, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Yap is 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$29.66 $29.66

-84.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$60.5 $60.5

-24.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$4.56 $4.56

-34.87%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.78 $1.78

-61.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$6.10 $6.10

-70.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$4.35 $4.35

-49.89%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$5.14 $5.14

289.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$6.08 $6.08

123.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$4.34 $4.34

-25.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$4.39 $4.39

-62.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$4.36 $4.36

-46.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$4.29 $4.29

-51.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$5.22 $5.22

-70.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.62 $1.62

-9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.54 $1.54

-68.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$3.87 $3.87

-51.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.92 $2.92

-9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.02 $1.02

39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$21.92 $21.92

-47.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$7.39 $7.39

-57.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.11 $5.11

171.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.55 $1.55

-13.55%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$3,970 $3,970

600.06%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$3,990 $3,990

736.61%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$79.2 $79.2

55.35%

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

$13.77 ฿459

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$82.0 $82.0

-77.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$24.11 $24.11

145.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$75.4 $75.4

-54.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$80.9 $80.9

42.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$122 $122

-31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$1,015 $1,015

-38.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$1,018 $1,018

-56.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,007 $1,007

101.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,004 $1,004

49.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,485 $1,485

132.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$995 $995

154.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$258 $258

91.04%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Yap: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,015 in Yap. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Yap. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $262, 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 91% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $1,015 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 $46.00 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 89% less than in Yap. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,876 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 48% less than in Yap. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.