Cost of Living Comparison Between Upala and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Upala and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,418 in Upala versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Upala versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Upala versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Upala is roughly 15% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Upala is 4% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.09 ₡5,375

$4.41 ฿147

174.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 ₡24.8K

$32.26 ฿1,077

73.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 ₡5,225

$8.93 ฿298

31.69%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₡1,686

$2.90 ฿96.6

30.69%

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

$1.80 ₡801

$0.88 ฿29.38

104.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₡813

$0.48 ฿16.06

281.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,487

$2.35 ฿78.5

42.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡1,986

$3.72 ฿124

20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₡1,000

$1.87 ฿62.3

20.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ₡756

$1.47 ฿48.94

15.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 ₡1,133

$1.55 ฿51.8

64.52%

Eggs

$2.69 ₡1,196

$2.10 ฿70.1

28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.30 ₡1,467

$19.59 ฿654

-83.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 ₡2,895

$3.42 ฿114

90.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 ₡3,925

$11.38 ฿380

-22.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ₡773

$2.98 ฿99.6

-41.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₡307

$1.68 ฿56.2

-58.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 ₡1,304

$2.21 ฿73.7

32.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ₡1,169

$2.16 ฿72.1

21.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ₡1,647

$1.52 ฿50.9

144.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 ₡1,177

$1.34 ฿44.67

97.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡487

$1.13 ฿37.67

-3.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₡1,172

$0.55 ฿18.24

380.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,603

$4.26 ฿142

37.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 ₡3,884

$19.09 ฿637

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₡1,202

$1.78 ฿59.4

51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₡1,649

$2.78 ฿92.9

33.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ₡545

$2.23 ฿74.4

-44.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₡1,072

$3.03 ฿101

-20.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 ₡728

$1.02 ฿34.15

60.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ₡3,006

$3.89 ฿130

73.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡642

$1.49 ฿49.77

-2.68%

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

$21.9K ₡9.7M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-17.78%

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

$35.2K ₡15.7M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

30.36%

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

$56.1 ₡25.0K

$102 ฿3,420

-45.21%

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

$37.05 ₡16.5K

$11.33 ฿378

227.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.04 ₡9,794

$17.40 ฿581

26.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 ₡33.5K

$52.1 ฿1,738

44.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$8.55 ₡3,799

$7.69 ฿257

11.18%

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

$987 ₡438.7K

$561 ฿18.7K

76.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.5M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

46.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.20 ₡14.8K

$63.0 ฿2,104

-47.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.88 ₡9,725

$29.52 ฿986

-25.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₡58.5K

$98.0 ฿3,272

34.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.11 ₡14.7K

$88.5 ฿2,954

-62.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 ₡382.0K

$738 ฿24.6K

16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ₡291.8K

$482 ฿16.1K

36.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 ₡774.4K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡567.2K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

4.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 Upala: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $859 in Upala and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56.0 in Upala vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $274, with Upala 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

Upala vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,127 in Upala and $1,847 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $859 in Upala versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $987 in Upala versus $561 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 $32.00 versus $56.0 in Upala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,418 in Upala, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Upala. 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 Upala, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Upala 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 15% less than in Upala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.