Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tak and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Tak: $938 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tak
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tak 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 Tak and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $938 in Tak versus $1,208 in Phuket.

  • Tak $938
  • Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,488 in Tak versus $2,027 in Phuket.

  • Tak $1,488
  • Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,039 in Tak versus $2,845 in Phuket.

  • Tak $2,039
  • Phuket $2,845

Living in Tak costs roughly 22% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tak 31% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tak
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 ฿113
$4.40 ฿147
-23.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.54 ฿720
$32.26 ฿1,078
-33.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.23 ฿242
$8.76 ฿293
-17.47%
Cappuccino
$1.74 ฿58.1
$2.83 ฿94.5
-38.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 ฿20.07
$0.90 ฿30.14
-33.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.93
$0.47 ฿15.56
-29.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 ฿63.8
$2.55 ฿85.2
-25.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 ฿103
$3.83 ฿128
-19.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tak
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ฿52.6
$1.73 ฿57.7
-9.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 ฿44.76
$1.47 ฿49.11
-8.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.41
$1.51 ฿50.6
-11.92%
Eggs
$2.16 ฿72.3
$2.17 ฿72.7
-0.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.40 ฿548
$19.70 ฿658
-16.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.90 ฿96.8
$3.34 ฿112
-13.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.41 ฿381
$11.16 ฿373
2.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 ฿97.4
$2.85 ฿95.1
2.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.47
$1.70 ฿56.9
-39.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$2.19 ฿73.3
3.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 ฿73.9
$2.05 ฿68.4
7.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 ฿49.69
$1.45 ฿48.57
2.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 ฿35.59
$1.38 ฿46.16
-23.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ฿38.47
$1.07 ฿35.69
7.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.70
$0.51 ฿16.91
3.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.47 ฿149
$4.26 ฿142
4.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.78 ฿561
$18.58 ฿621
-9.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$1.78 ฿59.7
-8.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 ฿100
$2.85 ฿95.2
4.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Tak
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.81 ฿27.11
$2.26 ฿75.6
-64.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.10 ฿738
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ฿45.00
$3.01 ฿101
-55.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.18 ฿39.33
$1.06 ฿35.34
11.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.56 ฿186
$3.86 ฿129
44.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ฿50.4
$1.45 ฿48.45
4.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿877.5K
$26.3K ฿879.9K
-0.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K ฿870.1K
$26.9K ฿900.4K
-3.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tak
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.9 ฿2,869
$96.4 ฿3,221
-10.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.38 ฿414
$11.04 ฿369
12.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.05 ฿670
$17.14 ฿573
16.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tak
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.87 ฿1,399
$52.2 ฿1,744
-19.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.06 ฿470
$11.16 ฿373
25.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92 ฿198
$7.81 ฿261
-24.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tak
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$595 ฿19.9K
$556 ฿18.6K
7.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K ฿373.1K
$11.6K ฿387.0K
-3.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tak
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.91 ฿1,467
$64.2 ฿2,146
-31.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.26 ฿1,011
$28.69 ฿959
5.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ฿2,686
$95.4 ฿3,187
-15.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.2 ฿2,647
$88.0 ฿2,940
-9.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tak
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$416 ฿13.9K
$737 ฿24.6K
-43.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$314 ฿10.5K
$462 ฿15.5K
-32.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 ฿40.4K
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-42.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$692 ฿23.1K
$1,201 ฿40.1K
-42.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,060 ฿68.8K
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-40.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,359 ฿45.4K
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-46.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tak
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.57
-

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

Last update for Tak: October 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tak
$314
Phuket
$462 47.3% $148
Groceries & Markets
Tak
$247
Phuket
$269 8.7% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tak
$118
Phuket
$125 5.3% $6.3
Clothing & Footwear
Tak
$105
Phuket
$124 18.2% $19
Eating Out
Tak
$89
Phuket
$121 36.2% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Tak
$54
Phuket
$68 26.2% $14
Getting Around
Tak
$10 *
Phuket
$39 276% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Tak and $737 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Tak vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $269 per month, with Tak cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Tak
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
21:56 9:56 PM
21:56 9:56 PM
Same time as Tak
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,900
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tak Phuket 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tak
  • 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
Tak vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tak?
Tak is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,407 in Tak and $1,813 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Tak and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $416 in Tak versus $737 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $595 in Tak versus $556 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Tak or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Tak – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Tak or in Phuket?
At $938 in Tak versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tak but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tak or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Tak 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.
Which city is safer, Tak or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tak 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 Tak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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