Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,749 in Playa del Coco versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,799 in Playa del Coco versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,850 in Playa del Coco versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in Playa del Coco is roughly 39% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Coco is 28% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 ₡8,315

$4.43 ฿145

320.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₡25.3K

$35.07 ฿1,151

61.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 ₡5,314

$8.96 ฿294

32.92%

Cappuccino

$4.21 ₡1,879

$3.00 ฿98.4

40.33%

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

$2.52 ₡1,126

$0.77 ฿25.33

227.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₡759

$0.47 ฿15.44

261.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ₡1,538

$2.40 ฿78.6

43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₡2,649

$3.75 ฿123

58.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₡1,044

$1.82 ฿59.8

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ₡1,253

$1.42 ฿46.65

97.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ₡1,112

$1.55 ฿50.8

60.65%

Eggs

$3.41 ₡1,524

$2.13 ฿69.9

60.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ₡4,849

$19.76 ฿648

-45.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 ₡4,627

$3.48 ฿114

197.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 ₡6,858

$11.09 ฿364

38.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ₡2,354

$2.91 ฿95.5

81.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ₡620

$1.66 ฿54.6

-16.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 ₡1,626

$2.27 ฿74.5

60.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,499

$2.10 ฿68.8

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,422

$1.47 ฿48.24

117.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 ₡1,449

$1.41 ฿46.29

130.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡504

$1.09 ฿35.78

3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,226

$0.54 ฿17.58

409.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.73 ₡2,556

$4.48 ฿147

27.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.88 ₡7,533

$18.72 ฿614

-9.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₡1,147

$1.84 ฿60.4

39.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₡1,170

$2.95 ฿96.7

-11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ₡606

$2.26 ฿74.1

-39.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ₡1,477

$3.04 ฿99.9

8.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 ₡716

$1.09 ฿35.82

46.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 ₡3,381

$3.82 ฿125

98.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 ₡879

$1.49 ฿48.79

32.21%

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

$19.4K ₡8.7M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

-29.19%

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

$38.9K ₡17.4M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

41.55%

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

$102 ₡45.7K

$102 ฿3,340

0.51%

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

$30.30 ₡13.5K

$11.28 ฿370

168.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 ₡27.3K

$17.75 ฿582

244.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 ₡35.7K

$54.2 ฿1,777

47.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ₡3,993

$7.85 ฿258

14.01%

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

$783 ₡349.3K

$577 ฿18.9K

35.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K ₡7.9M

$11.6K ฿381.6K

51.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₡29.5K

$65.4 ฿2,144

1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 ₡26.4K

$28.89 ฿948

104.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₡52.5K

$99.1 ฿3,250

18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 ₡68.1K

$90.3 ฿2,961

69.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₡397.4K

$756 ฿24.8K

17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₡288.8K

$487 ฿16.0K

32.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 ₡930.2K

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-0.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 ₡655.7K

$1,207 ฿39.6K

21.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$329 ₡146.9K

$2,610 ฿85.6K

-87.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₡351.1K

$502 ฿16.5K

56.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.89

5.57

59.61%

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

Last update for Playa del Coco: August 16, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Playa del Coco and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 57% 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: $57.0 in Playa del Coco vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $272 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

Playa del Coco vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Playa del Coco, 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: $891 in Playa del Coco versus $756 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $783 in Playa del Coco versus $577 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $57.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,749 in Playa del Coco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. 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 Playa del Coco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Coco and Phuket 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 39% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.