Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zatec Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zatec

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,275 in Zatec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,032 in Zatec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,790 in Zatec.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 2% less than in Zatec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Zatec 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$7.31 Kč 152

-37.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$19.30 Kč 401

69.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$9.37 Kč 195

-5.02%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.04 Kč 63.2

-7.89%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.73 Kč 15.21

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.97 Kč 20.17

-49.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.42 Kč 50.2

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.16 Kč 65.7

17.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.89 Kč 18.55

101.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$1.46 Kč 30.35

-1.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.45 Kč 50.9

-35.51%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.61 Kč 54.3

-18.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.10 Kč 127

226.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$5.65 Kč 117

-39.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$7.06 Kč 147

60.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.32 Kč 27.48

123.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.66 Kč 34.48

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$2.25 Kč 46.72

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.51 Kč 73.0

-40.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.99 Kč 20.65

48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.10 Kč 22.82

23.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.68 Kč 34.86

-34.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.55 Kč 11.41

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.41 Kč 133

-33.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$5.67 Kč 118

224.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$0.93 Kč 19.25

101.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.74 Kč 36.07

67.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.32 Kč 6.73

593.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$27.20 Kč 565

-15.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.93 Kč 60.9

3.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.97 Kč 40.87

-45.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$17.35 Kč 361

-77.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.89 Kč 39.31

-21.16%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$32.8K Kč 681.1K

-17.21%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$30.7K Kč 638.9K

-10.69%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$312 Kč 6,492

-67.09%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$23.42 Kč 487

-53.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$19.60 Kč 407

-10.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$65.0 Kč 1,351

-17.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$20.06 Kč 417

-44.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$13.72 Kč 285

-45.48%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$766 Kč 15.9K

-27.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$12.1K Kč 252.2K

-2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$94.2 Kč 1,958

-32.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$39.63 Kč 824

-26.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$48.61 Kč 1,010

97.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$127 Kč 2,644

-28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$377 Kč 7,828

93.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$345 Kč 7,178

44.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,090 Kč 22.7K

91.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$1,003 Kč 20.9K

20.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$5,182 Kč 107.7K

-30.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$4,180 Kč 86.9K

-39.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$1,190 Kč 24.7K

-57.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.64

20.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zatec: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $377 in Zatec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zatec pays 136% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Zatec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $193 per month, with Zatec 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 Zatec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 136% lower in Zatec. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $377 in Zatec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $766 in Zatec. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Zatec pay roughly 42% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,275 in Zatec, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Zatec. 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 Zatec, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Zatec 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 2% less than in Zatec. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.