Phuket Cost of Living 2026
Thailand · Resort — cheaper than the US average. Updated September 2026 Not just the exchange rate: how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price turns into a rip-off.
Phuket price table & rip-off thresholds
| Item | Base price | Normal range | Rip-off? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿90$2.73 | ฿63 – ฿144 | ฿173+ |
| Street food1 item | ฿41$1.24 | ฿25 – ฿74 | ฿89+ |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿500$15.2 | ฿350 – ฿800 | ฿960+ |
| Bakery & dessert1 item | ฿81$2.45 | ฿49 – ฿146 | ฿175+ |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿90$2.73 | ฿54 – ฿144 | ฿173+ |
| Fruit juiceone cup | ฿82$2.48 | ฿49 – ฿148 | ฿177+ |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿30$0.91 | ฿18 – ฿57 | ฿68+ |
| Bottled water | ฿12$0.36 | ฿8 – ฿24 | ฿29+ |
| Beerone bottle | ฿110$3.33 | ฿66 – ฿187 | ฿224+ |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿290$8.79 | ฿174 – ฿493 | ฿592+ |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿78$2.36 | ฿62 – ฿125 | ฿150+ |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿82$2.48 | ฿57 – ฿148 | ฿177+ |
| Transitone ride | ฿40$1.21 | ฿36 – ฿52 | ฿62+ |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿330$10 | ฿231 – ฿528 | ฿634+ |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿1,800$54.5 | ฿1,080 – ฿2,880 | ฿3,456+ |
| Laundry | ฿61$1.85 | ฿43 – ฿98 | ฿117+ |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿330$10 | ฿231 – ฿561 | ฿673+ |
| Haircutcut | ฿140$4.24 | ฿84 – ฿252 | ฿302+ |
| Massage1 hour | ฿410$12.4 | ฿287 – ฿656 | ฿787+ |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿1,200$36.4 | ฿840 – ฿1,920 | ฿2,304+ |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿330$10 | ฿264 – ฿462 | ฿554+ |
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in what travelers actually paid. Rate ฿33 per USD, for reference.
Live prices reported in Phuket
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FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Phuket for a month?
A short-term studio rental (about $1,217) plus food, coffee, transport and a SIM (about $575) comes to roughly $1,792 a month. A local long-term lease (studio ฿15,000) brings it down a lot.
What is a realistic daily budget for Phuket?
A mid-range room (about $56.2 a night) plus three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides is about $92.3 a day. Hostels and local eateries bring it well under that.
How do I know if a taxi in Phuket is overcharging?
For 5 km in the city, expect ฿62 – ฿125. Anything above ฿150 is suspicious. The app's Price Check lets you pick the distance and gives a verdict in seconds.
How much is a coffee or a local meal in Phuket?
Coffee about ฿90 ($2.73), a local meal about ฿90 ($2.73), dinner at a mid-range restaurant about ฿500.