😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,303 in Porto Rafti versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,998 in Porto Rafti versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,693 in Porto Rafti versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Porto Rafti is roughly 3% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Porto Rafti3% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63€10.01
$4.70฿153
147.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.2€48.33
$45.37฿1,482
23.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76€7.54
$8.43฿275
3.91%
Cappuccino
$3.91€3.36
$2.93฿95.6
33.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60€1.38
$0.69฿22.40
131.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.47
$0.37฿11.99
48.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61€3.97
$2.41฿78.6
91.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55€3.91
$3.72฿122
22.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.76€1.51
$2.23฿72.9
-21.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.17€1.01
$1.83฿59.8
-36.07%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.33€2.00
$2.17฿70.8
7.37%
Eggs
$4.18€3.60
$2.21฿72.3
89.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.41€9.82
$19.74฿645
-42.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.11€7.84
$3.63฿119
150.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.65€11.74
$13.53฿442
0.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.18€1.87
$3.28฿107
-33.54%
Banana(1kg)
$2.33€2.01
$1.61฿52.6
44.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.67€1.44
$2.41฿78.6
-30.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.47€2.13
$2.08฿68.1
18.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.26€1.08
$1.53฿49.93
-17.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13€0.97
$1.48฿48.36
-23.65%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.95€0.81
$0.99฿32.29
-4.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59€0.51
$0.51฿16.67
15.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.29€4.55
$4.41฿144
19.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.49€5.58
$19.38฿633
-66.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78€1.53
$1.78฿58.1
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36€2.03
$2.71฿88.6
-12.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.58€1.36
$1.37฿44.79
15.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.24€39.78
$11.39฿372
305.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.94€3.39
$3.02฿98.6
30.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.99฿32.48
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.73€10.09
$14.10฿461
-16.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.04€1.76
$1.36฿44.51
50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9K€27.5K
$28.2K฿921.1K
13.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K€21.7K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-23.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$157€135
$122฿3,975
28.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.24€19.13
$13.57฿443
63.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.54€24.55
$18.31฿598
55.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.11€42.25
$60.2฿1,967
-18.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.65€22.92
$17.14฿560
55.48%
Cinema Ticket
$9.39€8.08
$8.69฿284
8.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$525€452
$693฿22.6K
-24.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,478€5,573
$15.7K฿512.3K
-58.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.9€56.7
$59.5฿1,944
10.62%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.48€25.36
$34.77฿1,136
-15.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.0€57.7
$115฿3,743
-41.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107€92.5
$83.3฿2,720
29.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487€419
$613฿20.0K
-20.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$392€337
$437฿14.3K
-10.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$765€658
$2,094฿68.4K
-63.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$609€524
$1,509฿49.3K
-59.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,887€4,204
$3,749฿122.5K
30.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,542€2,187
$2,616฿85.4K
-2.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Porto Rafti
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$876€754
$508฿16.6K
72.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.42
5.33
-17.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Porto Rafti: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Porto Rafti and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Porto Rafti pays 72% 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 Porto Rafti vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $293, with Porto Rafti cheaper for home cooking.
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
Porto Rafti vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Porto Rafti?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Porto Rafti or Phuket?
Porto Rafti pays 72% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Porto Rafti and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Porto Rafti versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $525 in Porto Rafti versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Porto Rafti and Phuket?
Shoppers in Porto Rafti pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Porto Rafti or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,303 in Porto Rafti, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Porto Rafti. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Porto Rafti or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Porto Rafti, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Porto Rafti or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Porto Rafti 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Porto Rafti. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Porto Rafti vs other spots: cost of living compared