Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zakynthos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zakynthos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,912 in Zakynthos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,771 in Zakynthos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,629 in Zakynthos.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 34% less than in Zakynthos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Zakynthos is 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$29.34 €25.28

-84.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$58.0 €49.98

-19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$11.35 €9.78

-25.37%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.72 €4.07

-35.81%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.04 €1.76

-66.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.56 €0.49

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$4.51 €3.89

-44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.02 €6.05

-47.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.49 €2.15

-12.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.05 €1.77

-7.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$3.40 €2.93

-35.29%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$4.89 €4.21

-54.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$15.27 €13.15

30.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$15.32 €13.20

-76.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.52 €10.79

5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.06 €2.63

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.83 €2.44

-39.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.86 €1.61

28.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.25 €1.94

-7.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.42 €1.22

11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.94 €1.67

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.77 €0.66

33.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.71 €0.62

-26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.24 €4.52

-18.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.88 €5.93

173.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.47 €1.26

19.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.23 €2.79

-14.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.78 €1.53

-23.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$34.37 €29.61

-66.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.42 €2.95

-8.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.78 €11.88

-0.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$2.21 €1.91

-39.37%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$17.4K €15.0K

58.76%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.6K €16.9K

73.09%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$383 €330

-67.76%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$43.47 €37.46

-68.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$50.4 €43.46

-62.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$29.69 €25.58

108.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$26.14 €22.52

-34.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$12.50 €10.77

-26.88%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$426 €367

64.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,911 €5,093

168.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$93.2 €80.3

-36.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$92.3 €79.6

-62.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$128 €110

-9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$114 €98.0

-26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$406 €350

52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$410 €353

5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$802 €691

157.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$587 €506

157.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$3,022 €2,604

20.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$2,483 €2,140

5.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,274 €1,098

-60.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zakynthos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $406 in Zakynthos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zakynthos pays 151% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Zakynthos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $337 per month, with Phuket 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 Zakynthos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Zakynthos earns 151% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $406 in Zakynthos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $426 in Zakynthos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Zakynthos. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,912 in Zakynthos, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Zakynthos. 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 Zakynthos, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Zakynthos 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 52% less than in Zakynthos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.