Cost of Living Comparison Between Waling and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Waling and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $324 in Waling versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $541 in Waling versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $757 in Waling versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Waling costs roughly 74% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Waling 76% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 NPR 296

$4.56 ฿150

-57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.39 NPR 3,085

$32.62 ฿1,072

-37.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 NPR 989

$8.90 ฿293

-26.52%

Cappuccino

$1.60 NPR 242

$2.80 ฿92.2

-42.86%

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

$0.55 NPR 83.6

$0.88 ฿28.93

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 24.70

$0.49 ฿16.08

-67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 NPR 509

$2.39 ฿78.5

40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 NPR 560

$3.71 ฿122

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 115

$1.79 ฿58.7

-57.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 NPR 72.8

$1.44 ฿47.38

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 NPR 140

$1.58 ฿52.1

-41.14%

Eggs

$1.29 NPR 195

$2.13 ฿69.9

-39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 NPR 978

$19.92 ฿655

-67.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 NPR 393

$3.43 ฿113

-24.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.31 NPR 500

$11.33 ฿372

-70.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 NPR 318

$2.95 ฿96.9

-28.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 NPR 115

$1.72 ฿56.6

-55.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 NPR 202

$2.32 ฿76.4

-42.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 NPR 87.9

$2.08 ฿68.4

-72.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 NPR 56.9

$1.47 ฿48.33

-74.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 NPR 56.1

$1.36 ฿44.64

-72.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 NPR 69.4

$1.10 ฿36.12

-58.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 32.82

$0.57 ฿18.89

-61.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 NPR 403

$4.27 ฿140

-37.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 NPR 784

$18.42 ฿605

-71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NPR 349

$1.87 ฿61.5

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NPR 445

$2.92 ฿96.0

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 NPR 301

$3.03 ฿99.6

-34.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 NPR 194

$1.07 ฿35.31

19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 NPR 487

$3.93 ฿129

-18.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 NPR 210

$1.49 ฿49.04

-6.71%

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

$29.5K NPR 4.5M

$27.1K ฿891.7K

8.76%

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

$36.2K NPR 5.5M

$27.5K ฿902.3K

31.88%

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

$32.28 NPR 4,884

$103 ฿3,379

-68.60%

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

$3.31 NPR 501

$10.99 ฿361

-69.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.78 NPR 1,178

$17.51 ฿576

-55.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 NPR 458

$7.48 ฿246

-59.49%

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

$67.4 NPR 10.2K

$557 ฿18.3K

-87.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,826 NPR 730.1K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-59.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.42 NPR 3,997

$64.1 ฿2,106

-58.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.16 NPR 4,260

$29.07 ฿956

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 NPR 10.0K

$96.0 ฿3,154

-31.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.65 NPR 4,485

$90.3 ฿2,970

-67.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 NPR 163.4K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-69.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 NPR 189.7K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-50.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

5.57

74.51%

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

Last update for Waling: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Waling vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $121 vs $273 per month, with Waling 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

Waling vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waling is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 286% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $487 in Waling and $1,880 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.

Childcare runs $67.4 in Waling versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Waling – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $324 in Waling versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Waling but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Waling the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Waling 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, Waling 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 Waling gentler on the wallet – expenses run 286% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.