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: $1,746 in Playa del Coco versus $1,243 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,744 in Playa del Coco versus $2,023 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,743 in Playa del Coco versus $2,803 in Phuket.

Living in Playa del Coco is roughly 40% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Coco is 29% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.91 ₡8,172

$4.37 ฿147

309.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.3 ₡25.7K

$32.87 ฿1,103

71.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 ₡4,603

$8.39 ฿282

20.26%

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₡1,882

$2.73 ฿91.8

50.92%

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

$2.64 ₡1,203

$0.88 ฿29.59

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡761

$0.47 ฿15.92

255.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 ₡1,556

$2.36 ฿79.1

44.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 ₡2,749

$3.71 ฿124

62.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,092

$1.83 ฿61.5

30.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 ₡1,421

$1.45 ฿48.58

114.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,109

$1.58 ฿52.9

53.80%

Eggs

$3.41 ₡1,557

$2.10 ฿70.4

62.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 ₡4,867

$19.37 ฿650

-44.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 ₡4,797

$3.42 ฿115

207.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 ₡5,669

$10.96 ฿368

13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,397

$3.00 ฿101

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₡685

$1.64 ฿54.9

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 ₡1,737

$2.21 ฿74.1

72.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 ₡1,583

$2.12 ฿71.2

63.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ₡1,193

$1.47 ฿49.34

77.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,460

$1.32 ฿44.37

142.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₡526

$1.07 ฿35.93

7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₡1,107

$0.52 ฿17.61

367.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 ₡2,552

$4.38 ฿147

27.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.20 ₡7,392

$18.59 ฿624

-12.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,215

$1.75 ฿58.6

52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,253

$2.86 ฿95.8

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 ₡611

$2.26 ฿76.0

-40.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ₡1,471

$2.94 ฿98.7

9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡745

$1.07 ฿35.84

52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.63 ₡4,397

$3.84 ฿129

150.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 ₡896

$1.46 ฿48.96

34.25%

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

$20.2K ₡9.2M

$27.2K ฿912.2K

-25.74%

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

$31.7K ₡14.5M

$26.6K ฿893.5K

19.15%

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

$94.2 ₡43.0K

$102 ฿3,420

-7.59%

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

$29.84 ₡13.6K

$10.96 ฿368

172.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 ₡27.3K

$16.89 ฿567

254.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.3 ₡30.7K

$52.4 ฿1,758

28.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿367

Cinema Ticket

$8.61 ₡3,930

$7.52 ฿252

14.49%

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

$903 ₡412.0K

$547 ฿18.3K

65.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ₡7.8M

$11.3K ฿379.5K

51.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 ₡28.2K

$63.2 ฿2,122

-2.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.48 ₡22.6K

$29.23 ฿981

69.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₡60.8K

$97.8 ฿3,282

36.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₡53.4K

$86.7 ฿2,909

34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 ₡391.8K

$721 ฿24.2K

19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₡264.6K

$476 ฿16.0K

21.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 ₡866.1K

$2,081 ฿69.8K

-8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ₡598.5K

$1,194 ฿40.1K

9.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$326 ₡148.8K

$2,541 ฿85.3K

-87.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$765 ₡349.1K

$489 ฿16.4K

56.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Coco: September 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $858 in Playa del Coco and $721 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 56% 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: $56.0 in Playa del Coco vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $269 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 56% 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: $858 in Playa del Coco versus $721 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $903 in Playa del Coco versus $547 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 $33.00 versus $56.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,243 in Phuket versus $1,746 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 40% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.