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: $1,747 in Playa del Coco versus $1,223 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,655 in Playa del Coco versus $2,237 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,564 in Playa del Coco versus $3,251 in Phuket.

Living in Playa del Coco is roughly 43% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Coco is 31% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 ₡7,274

$4.51 ฿147

257.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 ₡35.7K

$46.62 ฿1,515

69.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 ₡4,610

$8.49 ฿276

20.38%

Cappuccino

$7.04 ₡3,176

$3.08 ฿100

128.57%

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

$2.41 ₡1,086

$0.68 ฿22.07

254.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡871

$0.36 ฿11.75

436.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₡1,450

$2.43 ฿78.8

32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₡2,641

$3.63 ฿118

61.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 ₡1,175

$2.19 ฿71.1

19.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,250

$1.81 ฿59.0

53.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡966

$2.23 ฿72.5

-4.04%

Eggs

$3.05 ₡1,374

$2.24 ฿72.7

36.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 ₡3,831

$19.60 ฿637

-56.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 ₡5,873

$3.72 ฿121

250.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,146

$13.47 ฿438

1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 ₡1,977

$3.36 ฿109

30.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡687

$1.62 ฿52.5

-6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,888

$2.41 ฿78.3

73.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₡746

$1.99 ฿64.6

-17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₡1,539

$1.53 ฿49.76

122.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,316

$1.45 ฿47.19

101.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡457

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,328

$0.48 ฿15.73

512.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 ₡2,185

$4.27 ฿139

13.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 ₡8,268

$19.12 ฿621

-4.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₡973

$1.84 ฿59.7

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,204

$2.74 ฿89.1

-2.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$1.42 ฿46.06

-14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₡1,318

$3.00 ฿97.6

-2.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡834

$1.05 ฿34.00

76.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 ₡3,613

$13.90 ฿452

-42.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ₡845

$1.29 ฿41.94

44.96%

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

$38.2K ₡17.2M

$28.0K ฿911.1K

36.24%

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

$32.0K ₡14.4M

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-4.51%

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

$175 ₡79.1K

$122 ฿3,964

43.71%

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

$25.76 ₡11.6K

$13.93 ฿453

84.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 ₡27.3K

$18.87 ฿613

220.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₡25.7K

$61.3 ฿1,992

-7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.42 ₡10.6K

$16.84 ฿547

39.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ₡4,558

$8.89 ฿289

13.61%

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

$536 ₡241.8K

$691 ฿22.5K

-22.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$16.2K ฿525.2K

-22.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ₡28.5K

$57.8 ฿1,878

9.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.1K

$35.39 ฿1,150

44.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.1K

$113 ฿3,685

9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.1K

$83.0 ฿2,698

28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡350.2K

$607 ฿19.7K

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₡265.7K

$448 ฿14.6K

31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 ₡688.0K

$2,029 ฿66.0K

-24.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₡440.6K

$1,493 ฿48.5K

-34.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$325 ₡146.5K

$2,585 ฿84.0K

-87.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$783 ₡353.0K

$505 ฿16.4K

55.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

5.33

90.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Coco: June 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $776 in Playa del Coco and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 55% 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: $79.0 in Playa del Coco vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $292 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Coco pays 55% more on average, 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: $776 in Playa del Coco versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $536 in Playa del Coco versus $691 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 $47.00 versus $79.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,747 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 43% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.