Cost of Living Comparison Between Rayong and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rayong and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Rayong versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Rayong versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,959 in Rayong versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Rayong costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rayong 37% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$4.63 ฿151

-31.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.83 ฿612

$46.84 ฿1,523

-59.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 ฿205

$8.84 ฿287

-28.51%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ฿82.4

$3.00 ฿97.4

-15.67%

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

$0.53 ฿17.36

$0.74 ฿24.11

-28.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.68

$0.37 ฿11.88

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.44 ฿79.3

-25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ฿99.7

$3.61 ฿117

-14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$2.26 ฿73.5

-18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ฿42.33

$1.84 ฿59.8

-29.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿38.96

$2.24 ฿73.0

-46.43%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿73.8

$2.32 ฿75.3

-2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.36 ฿597

$19.67 ฿639

-6.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.15 ฿69.9

$3.65 ฿119

-41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿306

$13.10 ฿426

-28.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ฿78.8

$3.39 ฿110

-28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.34

$1.64 ฿53.4

-26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 ฿68.0

$2.41 ฿78.5

-13.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ฿36.01

$2.03 ฿66.0

-45.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.52

$1.56 ฿50.6

-19.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.99

$1.50 ฿48.66

-16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ฿26.26

$1.02 ฿33.30

-20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.42

$0.49 ฿15.91

-22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$16.92 ฿550

$18.88 ฿614

-10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.9

$1.78 ฿57.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ฿109

$2.75 ฿89.5

21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.39

$1.40 ฿45.54

-33.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.33

$3.12 ฿101

-66.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 ฿38.51

$1.00 ฿32.48

18.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 ฿203

$14.09 ฿458

-55.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ฿40.83

$1.35 ฿43.93

-6.67%

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

$36.5K ฿1.2M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

34.19%

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

$29.2K ฿947.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-11.44%

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

$58.1 ฿1,889

$125 ฿4,063

-53.50%

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

$12.82 ฿417

$13.57 ฿441

-5.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.46 ฿568

$18.52 ฿602

-5.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 ฿2,262

$61.5 ฿1,999

13.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 ฿609

$16.84 ฿547

11.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 ฿244

$9.19 ฿299

-18.28%

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

$597 ฿19.4K

$698 ฿22.7K

-14.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,254 ฿300.8K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-40.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.39 ฿1,573

$57.8 ฿1,878

-16.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.86 ฿1,263

$35.24 ฿1,146

10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ฿2,454

$113 ฿3,677

-33.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 ฿1,930

$86.4 ฿2,808

-31.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ฿13.6K

$616 ฿20.0K

-32.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 ฿7,474

$446 ฿14.5K

-48.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ฿26.0K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-60.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ฿21.3K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-56.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,968 ฿64.0K

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-25.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$778 ฿25.3K

$524 ฿17.0K

48.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.33

3.19%

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

Last update for Rayong: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $418 in Rayong and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Rayong vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $292 per month, with Rayong 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

Rayong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rayong is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rayong pays 49% 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: $418 in Rayong versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $597 in Rayong 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 Rayong – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $840 in Rayong versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rayong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rayong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rayong is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rayong 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 Rayong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.