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: $1,889 in Yap versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,483 in Yap versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,077 in Yap versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Yap is roughly 53% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yap is 41% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.10 $30.10

$4.63 ฿151

550.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$46.84 ฿1,523

25.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

Cappuccino

$4.47 $4.47

$3.00 ฿97.4

49.00%

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

$1.74 $1.74

$0.74 ฿24.11

135.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

White Bread (500g)

$6.06 $6.06

$1.84 ฿59.8

229.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.24 ฿73.0

95.09%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$19.67 ฿639

-73.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$13.10 ฿426

-53.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.39 ฿110

27.14%

Banana (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.64 ฿53.4

162.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.41 ฿78.5

85.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.03 ฿66.0

121.18%

Potato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$1.56 ฿50.6

227.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.50 ฿48.66

8.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.49 ฿15.91

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.78 ฿57.7

117.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.75 ฿89.5

9.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.40 ฿45.54

-30.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.38 $21.38

$11.48 ฿373

86.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 $7.32

$3.12 ฿101

134.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$14.09 ฿458

-63.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.35 ฿43.93

14.07%

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

$4,024 $4,024

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-85.20%

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

$3,984 $3,984

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-87.90%

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

$79.5 $79.5

$125 ฿4,063

-36.43%

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

$13.57 ฿441

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 $81.4

$18.52 ฿602

339.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

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

$698 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.37 $24.37

$57.8 ฿1,878

-57.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.8 $74.8

$35.24 ฿1,146

112.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 $78.8

$113 ฿3,677

-30.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$86.4 ฿2,808

36.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 $997

$616 ฿20.0K

61.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 $1,012

$446 ฿14.5K

126.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 $1,003

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-51.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-33.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,497 $1,497

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-60.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 $1,005

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-62.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 $262

$524 ฿17.0K

-50.00%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $997 in Yap and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Yap vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $292, 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 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 100% less. 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: $997 in Yap versus $616 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 $47.00 versus $59.0 in Yap. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 86% less than in Yap. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,889 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 53% less than in Yap. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.