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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,282 in Zatec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,963 in Zatec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,644 in Zatec.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 1% less than in Zatec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zatec 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$6.91 Kč 144

-31.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$18.54 Kč 387

144.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$9.25 Kč 193

-8.86%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.00 Kč 62.5

-2.33%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.73 Kč 15.20

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.97 Kč 20.24

-61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.28 Kč 47.61

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.50 Kč 52.0

48.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.90 Kč 18.81

147.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.42 Kč 29.58

28.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.11 Kč 43.89

2.84%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.59 Kč 53.9

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.82 Kč 121

239.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.47 Kč 114

-33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.82 Kč 142

98.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.34 Kč 27.97

144.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.60 Kč 33.45

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.08 Kč 43.30

15.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.02 Kč 83.8

-48.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.96 Kč 20.00

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.33 Kč 27.70

11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.63 Kč 33.88

-39.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.52 Kč 10.75

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.18 Kč 129

-28.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$5.63 Kč 117

244.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.93 Kč 19.49

91.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.87 Kč 39.05

44.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.35 Kč 7.19

291.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$25.83 Kč 539

-55.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.85 Kč 59.5

5.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.49 Kč 31.06

-33.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$15.13 Kč 315

-6.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.75 Kč 36.39

-22.29%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$27.9K Kč 581.7K

1.07%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.8K Kč 622.0K

10.28%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$314 Kč 6,539

-61.20%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$25.02 Kč 522

-45.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$20.54 Kč 428

-10.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$53.0 Kč 1,104

13.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$17.03 Kč 355

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.48 Kč 239

-24.30%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$427 Kč 8,897

62.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$14.5K Kč 302.4K

8.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$87.3 Kč 1,820

-31.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$40.49 Kč 844

-14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$45.98 Kč 959

149.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$113 Kč 2,352

-26.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$360 Kč 7,504

70.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$323 Kč 6,743

35.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,153 Kč 24.0K

81.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$868 Kč 18.1K

73.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$5,310 Kč 110.7K

-29.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$2,845 Kč 59.3K

-8.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,184 Kč 24.7K

-57.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.56

-4.14%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zatec: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $360 in Zatec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zatec pays 133% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Zatec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $190 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 Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Zatec earns 133% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $360 in Zatec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $427 in Zatec. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Zatec pay roughly 54% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,282 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 1% less than in Zatec. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.