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: $1,767 in Playa del Coco versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,660 in Playa del Coco versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,552 in Playa del Coco versus $3,279 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 32% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 ₡7,099

$4.63 ฿151

237.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 ₡35.6K

$46.84 ฿1,532

67.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,549

$8.84 ฿289

13.12%

Cappuccino

$7.10 ₡3,229

$3.00 ฿98.0

136.67%

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

$2.44 ₡1,110

$0.74 ฿24.25

229.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡837

$0.37 ฿11.95

397.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,505

$2.44 ฿79.8

35.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,731

$3.61 ฿118

66.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 ₡1,136

$2.26 ฿73.9

10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,306

$1.84 ฿60.1

55.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,003

$2.24 ฿73.4

-1.34%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,324

$2.32 ฿75.7

25.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,770

$19.67 ฿643

-57.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 ₡5,791

$3.65 ฿119

248.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,132

$13.10 ฿428

2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 ₡2,069

$3.39 ฿111

34.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡656

$1.64 ฿53.7

-12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 ₡1,881

$2.41 ฿79.0

71.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡753

$2.03 ฿66.4

-18.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,554

$1.56 ฿50.9

119.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,373

$1.50 ฿48.94

101.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡463

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,320

$0.49 ฿16.00

491.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,230

$4.45 ฿145

10.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 ₡7,593

$18.88 ฿617

-11.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡957

$1.78 ฿58.1

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,150

$2.75 ฿90.1

-8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡555

$1.40 ฿45.81

-12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₡1,323

$3.12 ฿102

-6.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡807

$1.00 ฿32.67

77.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,491

$14.09 ฿461

-45.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡822

$1.35 ฿44.19

34.07%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

36.67%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-1.94%

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

$177 ₡80.4K

$125 ฿4,087

41.48%

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

$25.55 ₡11.6K

$13.57 ฿444

88.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$18.52 ฿606

225.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.6K

$61.5 ฿2,010

-8.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.7K

$16.84 ฿551

39.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ₡4,542

$9.19 ฿300

8.71%

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

$531 ₡241.5K

$698 ฿22.8K

-23.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-19.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.2K

$57.8 ฿1,889

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.8K

$35.24 ฿1,152

48.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.1K

$113 ฿3,699

13.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.3K

$86.4 ฿2,825

22.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡342.7K

$616 ฿20.1K

22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡266.9K

$446 ฿14.6K

31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₡698.5K

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-24.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡437.0K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-35.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 ₡146.9K

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-87.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 ₡345.3K

$524 ฿17.1K

44.99%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $754 in Playa del Coco and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 45% 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: $78.0 in Playa del Coco vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 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 45% 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: $754 in Playa del Coco versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $531 in Playa del Coco versus $698 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 $78.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,767 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.