Cost of Living Comparison Between Yala and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Yala and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $895 in Yala versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,453 in Yala versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Yala versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Yala costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yala 33% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 ฿49.26

$4.56 ฿149

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.44 ฿894

$46.63 ฿1,519

-41.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ฿200

$8.47 ฿276

-27.51%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿65.6

$3.03 ฿98.6

-33.33%

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

$0.55 ฿17.80

$0.69 ฿22.45

-20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ฿6.87

$0.37 ฿11.92

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ฿81.4

$2.49 ฿81.0

0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.66 ฿119

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ฿54.6

$2.18 ฿71.0

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿43.59

$1.90 ฿62.0

-29.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.06

$2.20 ฿71.6

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.22 ฿72.4

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.63 ฿607

$19.99 ฿651

-6.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$3.66 ฿119

-17.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ฿346

$13.25 ฿432

-19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.23 ฿105

-3.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.52

$1.70 ฿55.3

-27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ฿61.4

$2.39 ฿78.0

-21.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.08 ฿67.7

-23.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.42

$1.59 ฿51.8

-8.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.48

$1.48 ฿48.31

-16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ฿31.64

$1.03 ฿33.54

-5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.71

$0.52 ฿16.83

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿143

$4.25 ฿138

3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.04 ฿523

$18.79 ฿612

-14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿56.0

$1.76 ฿57.2

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ฿20.87

$1.36 ฿44.32

-52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿34.82

$3.14 ฿102

-65.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿37.04

$1.04 ฿33.74

9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 ฿198

$13.77 ฿448

-55.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ฿34.61

$1.34 ฿43.79

-20.90%

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

$27.8K ฿904.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

0.29%

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

$27.1K ฿883.0K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-19.94%

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

$76.2 ฿2,483

$124 ฿4,025

-38.31%

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

$12.45 ฿405

$13.52 ฿440

-7.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 ฿596

$18.69 ฿609

-2.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 ฿1,580

$61.8 ฿2,013

-21.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 ฿395

$17.25 ฿562

-29.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 ฿230

$9.14 ฿298

-22.65%

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

$294 ฿9,568

$703 ฿22.9K

-58.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,514 ฿309.9K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-40.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.42 ฿1,089

$59.5 ฿1,937

-43.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.22 ฿1,115

$35.07 ฿1,142

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,279

$115 ฿3,754

-12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,313

$84.1 ฿2,737

-15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ฿13.5K

$619 ฿20.1K

-32.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,322

$433 ฿14.1K

-33.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ฿26.2K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 ฿21.0K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-57.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿62.3K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-47.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 ฿43.7K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-48.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.33

2.25%

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

Last update for Yala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Yala and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Yala vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $293 per month, with Yala 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

Yala vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,343 in Yala and $1,892 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: $415 in Yala versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $294 in Yala versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Yala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $895 in Yala versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Yala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Yala 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, Yala 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 Yala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.