Chiang Mai vs Phuket Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Phuket (Thailand) · Overall index 32.5
Summary
- Overall, Phuket is 25% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Phuket is 57% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Telecom in Phuket is 27% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Phuket | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +57% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $689 | +44% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $492 | +51% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,330 | +65% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $899 | +66% |
| Groceries | +19% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.58 | +9% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $1.65 | +15% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $2.02 | +20% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $2.3 | +29% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $6.26 | +31% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $5.51 | +14% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $7.39 | +10% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $2.46 | +15% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.91 | +15% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $1.86 | +2% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $2.7 | +22% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.43 | +34% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.18 | +26% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.28 | +38% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $0.96 | +10% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $6.68 | +18% |
| Transport | +22% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $0.93 | +31% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $46.4 | +21% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.56 | +41% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.72 | +29% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.31 | +7% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $9,364 | +10% |
| Dining out | +18% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $9.34 | +34% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $46.2 | +16% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $4.17 | +8% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $1.93 | +19% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $0.96 | +7% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $2.62 | +9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $3.44 | +31% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.77 | +20% |
| Telecom | +27% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $29.1 | +17% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $35.6 | +34% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.18 | +20% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $8.25 | +35% |
| Utilities & household | +19% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $77.3 | +14% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.1 | +25% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $2.31 | +46% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.64 | +14% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $9.32 | +16% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $34 | +5% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $7.16 | +12% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $12.8 | +21% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $11.9 | +23% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $925 | +14% |
3,342 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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