Cost of Living Comparison Between Yap and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Yap and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,876 in Yap versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,492 in Yap versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,109 in Yap versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Yap is roughly 48% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yap is 41% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.66 $29.66

$4.48 ฿150

562.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 $60.5

$45.59 ฿1,521

32.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$4.56 $4.56

$2.97 ฿99.0

53.54%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$0.69 ฿22.90

157.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

White Bread (500g)

$6.10 $6.10

$1.82 ฿60.6

235.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.18 ฿72.9

99.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$20.00 ฿667

-74.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$13.56 ฿452

-55.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.24 ฿108

33.95%

Banana (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.64 ฿54.6

167.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.33 ฿77.8

87.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.07 ฿69.1

107.25%

Potato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$1.55 ฿51.6

236.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.46 ฿48.54

10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.48 ฿16.09

220.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.86 ฿61.9

108.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.65 ฿88.6

10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.42 ฿47.28

-28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.92 $21.92

$11.57 ฿386

89.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 $7.39

$3.17 ฿106

133.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$13.89 ฿463

-63.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.34 ฿44.84

15.67%

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

$3,970 $3,970

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-85.72%

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

$3,990 $3,990

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-88.05%

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

$79.2 $79.2

$123 ฿4,105

-35.63%

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

$13.77 ฿459

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 $82.0

$18.33 ฿611

347.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.11 $24.11

$59.3 ฿1,978

-59.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 $75.4

$34.69 ฿1,157

117.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 $80.9

$115 ฿3,843

-29.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$83.8 ฿2,794

45.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 $1,015

$621 ฿20.7K

63.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 $1,018

$446 ฿14.9K

128.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 $1,007

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-50.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 $1,004

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-32.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,485 $1,485

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-57.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 $995

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-60.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 $258

$494 ฿16.5K

-47.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

400000

5.33

7504590.43%

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

Last update for Yap: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,015 in Yap and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Yap vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $262 vs $291, with Yap 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

Yap vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,015 in Yap versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $60.0 in Yap. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 89% less than in Yap. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,876 in Yap, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Yap. 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 Yap, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Yap 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 48% less than in Yap. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.