Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quang Ngai and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Quang Ngai: $484 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Quang Ngai
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Quang Ngai Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Quang Ngai

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$484

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quang Ngai and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Quang Ngai and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Quang Ngai versus $1,294 in Phuket.

Quang Ngai $484
Phuket $1,294

Estimated couple costs with rent: $751 in Quang Ngai versus $2,204 in Phuket.

Quang Ngai $751
Phuket $2,204

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Quang Ngai versus $3,115 in Phuket.

Quang Ngai $1,019
Phuket $3,115

Living in Quang Ngai costs roughly 63% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quang Ngai 64% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.00 ₫25.8K

$4.39 ฿148

-77.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.32 ₫265.9K

$32.31 ฿1,086

-68.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₫123.2K

$8.70 ฿293

-45.06%

Cappuccino

$1.29 ₫33.1K

$2.72 ฿91.6

-52.57%

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

$0.32 ₫8,209

$0.93 ฿31.28

-65.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₫4,397

$0.50 ฿16.79

-66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₫35.7K

$2.53 ฿85.1

-45.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.0K

$3.63 ฿122

-59.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₫40.9K

$1.74 ฿58.5

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 ₫10.5K

$1.45 ฿48.77

-71.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₫20.6K

$1.50 ฿50.5

-46.67%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫38.4K

$2.17 ฿73.0

-31.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₫194.0K

$19.09 ฿642

-60.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ₫100.8K

$3.40 ฿114

15.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 ₫163.8K

$10.90 ฿366

-41.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₫49.0K

$2.94 ฿98.9

-35.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₫14.5K

$1.69 ฿56.9

-66.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₫34.8K

$2.19 ฿73.8

-38.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ₫34.7K

$2.12 ฿71.4

-36.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫30.9K

$1.46 ฿49.03

-17.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ₫24.5K

$1.37 ฿45.99

-30.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ₫8,298

$1.08 ฿36.17

-70.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.5K

$0.55 ฿18.34

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$4.43 ฿149

-71.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 ₫147.0K

$18.25 ฿614

-68.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₫15.0K

$1.77 ฿59.6

-67.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.1K

$2.88 ฿96.8

-70.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₫9,416

$1.45 ฿48.66

-74.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.72 ₫147.3K

$54.9 ฿1,845

-89.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$1.51 ฿50.9

-60.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ₫9,783

$0.78 ฿26.08

-51.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₫49.6K

$3.84 ฿129

-49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₫20.5K

$1.49 ฿50.0

-46.31%

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

$30.8K ₫792.6M

$26.9K ฿903.7K

14.46%

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

$28.4K ₫731.1M

$26.3K ฿885.7K

7.72%

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

$66.1 ₫1.7M

$97.8 ฿3,288

-32.46%

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

$6.49 ₫167.1K

$11.29 ฿380

-42.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.65 ₫197.1K

$17.19 ฿578

-55.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.59 ₫247.0K

$68.3 ฿2,297

-85.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.75 ₫122.3K

$10.92 ฿367

-56.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₫89.4K

$7.43 ฿250

-53.30%

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

$136 ₫3.5M

$530 ฿17.8K

-74.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,851 ₫99.2M

$18.8K ฿631.4K

-79.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.56 ₫194.7K

$61.7 ฿2,073

-87.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.66 ₫197.4K

$28.25 ฿950

-72.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₫2.6M

$96.0 ฿3,228

6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.65 ₫686.5K

$86.8 ฿2,919

-69.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₫4.6M

$721 ฿24.2K

-75.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 ₫3.1M

$509 ฿17.1K

-76.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₫9.8M

$1,950 ฿65.6K

-80.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.4M

$1,397 ฿47.0K

-82.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 ₫5.6M

$492 ฿16.5K

-55.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

25.67%

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

Last update for Quang Ngai: October 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Quang Ngai

$144 29.8%

Phuket

$267 20.6% 85.3% $123

Accommodation & Living

Quang Ngai

$119 24.6%

Phuket

$509 39.3% 328% $390

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quang Ngai

$80 16.6%

Phuket

$126 9.8% 57.5% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Quang Ngai

$65 13.4%

Phuket

$123 9.5% 89% $58

Eating Out

Quang Ngai

$50 10.3%

Phuket

$120 9.2% 141% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Quang Ngai

$17 3.4%

Phuket

$83 6.4% 403% $67

Getting Around

Quang Ngai

$9.7 2%

Phuket

$66 5.1% 583% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Quang Ngai and $721 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 2.2 times 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: $10 in Quang Ngai vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $144 vs $267 per month, with Quang Ngai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Quang Ngai

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

12:39 12:39 PM

Same time as Quang Ngai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

112,384

79,308

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 29,000 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Quang Ngai Phuket 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Quang Ngai
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Quang Ngai vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quang Ngai is about 63% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Quang Ngai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $180 in Quang Ngai versus $721 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $136 in Quang Ngai versus $530 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $484 in Quang Ngai versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Quang Ngai but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Quang Ngai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Quang Ngai and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Quang Ngai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.