Choose the household before reading the total
Start by choosing a row, then replace its inputs with the actual household, area and dwelling. The modest row is one adult in a Wichit one-bedroom condo; the comfortable row is two adults in a Rawai one-bedroom condo; and the first-year family row is two adults plus one Year 1–3 pupil in a Choeng Thale two-bedroom condo. All three assume no owned vehicle. These are controlled examples, not island-wide averages or promises that the selected bus routes serve a particular home.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource smartbus-paymentSource smartbus-passesSource bisp-fees-2026-27
This page remains a draft because several material lines are deliberately unresolved. The displayed totals include sampled rent, a narrow utilities model, a nine-product grocery basket, priced bus-pass alternatives, a named preventive-care package and, where relevant, one school's published fees. They do not include a health-insurance premium, restaurant eating, broad groceries, vehicle purchase or running costs, visas, tax, rent deposits, flights, mobile service or a general leisure allowance. A zero therefore means not included, not free.
Source pea-electricity-tariffSource pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource lotus-riceSource lotus-prepared-mealSource smartbus-passesSource pacific-cross-standardSource bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource bisp-fees-2026-27
Use one THB-first calculation method
Thai baht is the only calculation currency. Every source used for the basket published a THB price, so the FX field says “Not used — THB-only basket”. That avoids letting a moving home-currency rate alter a local-cost comparison. A reader who needs pounds, dollars or euros should convert the final THB range separately with one named rate and date; no foreign-currency view is embedded here.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource smartbus-passesSource bisp-fees-2026-27Source bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource lotus-rice
A lower and upper bound are added independently. Rent uses the nearest-rank 25th and 75th percentile of eligible asking prices, not a median. Utilities combine stated consumption points and public tariffs. Food multiplies observed unit prices by disclosed quantities. Bus figures are pass alternatives, school figures are annual fees divided by 12, and irregular preventive-care figures are also divided by 12. No midpoint is described as typical, and no unknown line receives a guessed allowance.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pea-ft-2026Source pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource smartbus-passesSource bisp-fees-2026-27Source bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource lotus-riceSource lotus-eggsSource lotus-chickenSource lotus-cabbageSource lotus-bananasSource lotus-tofuSource lotus-milkSource lotus-oilSource lotus-water
The scenario total is the sum of rent, utilities, food, transport, healthcare and insurance, schooling and childcare, discretionary spending and the irregular monthly equivalent. Lower components sum only to the lower total and upper components only to the upper total. Because unresolved categories remain zero rather than estimated, each result is best read as a dated total of priced inclusions, not the minimum cash required to live in Phuket.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource pea-ft-2026Source pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource lotus-riceSource smartbus-passesSource pacific-cross-standardSource bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource bisp-fees-2026-27
Three transparent priced-inclusion scenarios
The modest single row reconciles to THB 18,249–31,986 per month: rent 13,000–20,000; utilities 1,215–1,869; the controlled grocery basket 2,069–4,138; one bus pass 1,590–1,990; optional prepared meals 0–656; and a preventive-care equivalent 375–3,333. Schooling is zero because there is no pupil. Insurance is zero because the public insurer page did not expose a usable premium. This is a one-adult Wichit condo calculation, not a general single-person Phuket figure.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource siam108-wichitSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pea-ft-2026Source pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource lotus-riceSource lotus-eggsSource lotus-chickenSource lotus-cabbageSource lotus-bananasSource lotus-tofuSource lotus-milkSource lotus-oilSource lotus-waterSource lotus-prepared-mealSource smartbus-paymentSource smartbus-passesSource pacific-cross-standardSource bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource bisp-fees-2026-27
The comfortable couple row totals THB 36,937–58,095 per month: Rawai one-bedroom rent 27,000–35,000; utilities 1,869–2,860; two grocery units 4,138–8,276; two bus passes 3,180–3,980; optional prepared meals 0–1,312; and two preventive-care equivalents 750–6,667. There is no pupil and no included insurance premium. The adjective “comfortable” identifies the scenario requested for comparison; it does not convert the deliberately narrow basket into a full lifestyle budget.
Source propertyscout-rawaiSource siam108-rawaiSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pea-ft-2026Source pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource lotus-riceSource lotus-eggsSource lotus-chickenSource lotus-cabbageSource lotus-bananasSource lotus-tofuSource lotus-milkSource lotus-oilSource lotus-waterSource lotus-prepared-mealSource smartbus-paymentSource smartbus-passesSource pacific-cross-standardSource bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource bisp-fees-2026-27
The first-year family row totals THB 153,039–210,610 per month. It combines Choeng Thale two-bedroom rent of 60,000–90,000, utilities of 2,860–4,256, three grocery units of 6,207–12,414, two adult bus passes of 3,180–3,980, school tuition and optional transport of 62,500–70,825, optional prepared meals of 0–1,968, and irregular equivalents of 18,292–27,167. That irregular line includes three preventive packages plus the school's THB 6,000 application and THB 200,000 one-pupil placement fees spread across the first 12 months.
Source propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource siam108-choeng-thaleSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pea-ft-2026Source pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource lotus-riceSource lotus-eggsSource lotus-chickenSource lotus-cabbageSource lotus-bananasSource lotus-tofuSource lotus-milkSource lotus-oilSource lotus-waterSource lotus-prepared-mealSource smartbus-paymentSource smartbus-passesSource pacific-cross-standardSource bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource bisp-fees-2026-27
The comparison table is useful for substitution, not ranking lifestyles. Moving between rows changes household size, area, bedroom count, consumption, school status and first-year charges at once. To answer a personal budget question, copy the nearest row and change one component at a time. Do not infer that the difference between rows measures only comfort, only location or only family size.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pwa-water-calculatorSource bisp-fees-2026-27
Schema city-cost-v1 · version 1 · CC BY 4.0
Treat rent as a dated asking-price sample
The editorial working cut began with the first 20 visible PropertyScout results on 10 August 2026 after selecting the stated area, condominium, bedroom and twelve-month minimum-lease filters. It reports 18 included asks for Wichit one-bedroom condos, 20 for Rawai one-bedroom condos and 18 for Choeng Thale two-bedroom condos, with displayed bands calculated as nearest-rank 25th–75th percentiles. The underlying prices, excluded entries, screenshots and duplicate decisions were not saved in the repository, so neither the included counts nor the calculated bands are independently reproducible. Re-capture the sample before publication.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thale
The working calculation reports asking bands of THB 13,000–20,000 per month in Wichit for one bedroom, THB 27,000–35,000 in Rawai for one bedroom and THB 60,000–90,000 in Choeng Thale for two bedrooms. They remain planning inputs pending a documented recapture. Exact-filter 108Siam pages were checked as a second portal, but they were not pooled into the calculation because a consistent twelve-month minimum-lease control was not exposed there.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource siam108-wichitSource siam108-rawaiSource siam108-choeng-thale
These are first-page listing samples and asking prices. They are not signed rents, island medians, complete inventory or proof of seasonal movement. Portal sorting, availability, duplicates and listing edits can change after the observation date. The underlying observation list, rejection record and duplicate ledger are absent, and the sample does not price deposits, agency terms, utilities bundled into a particular lease or negotiation. Re-run and retain the same controls before using a band for a live housing decision.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource siam108-wichitSource siam108-rawaiSource siam108-choeng-thale
Calculate utilities from consumption and tariffs
Electricity uses PEA's residential tariff of THB 3.2484 per kWh for the first 150 kWh, 4.2218 for the next 250 and 4.4217 above 400, plus the THB 24.62 monthly service charge, the May–August 2026 Ft of THB 0.1623 per kWh and 7% VAT. The calculated monthly points are THB 573.76 at 150 kWh, 1,042.86 at 250, 1,746.51 at 400 and 2,727.48 at 600. Actual bills depend on meter classification and consumption.
The PWA residential calculator returned THB 141.24, 226.84, 414.09 and 629.16 for 10, 15, 25 and 35 cubic metres. Its own page says the calculator was updated in July 2015, so the water input is marked limited and must be refreshed before publication. AIS's public fibre page showed plans at THB 500, 599, 699 and 899 per month. Installation, router, address eligibility, promotions and mobile service are not added.
Keep the food basket narrow and auditable
One lower grocery unit contains 5 kg jasmine rice, 30 eggs, 4 kg chicken breast, 4 kg cabbage, eight banana packs, eight 220 g tofu packs, 8 litres of milk, 1 litre soybean oil and 48 litres drinking water. At observed Lotus's prices of THB 240, 167, 92/kg, 50/kg, 30, 12, 99.75 per 2 litres, 55 and 38 per 6 litres, that unit totals THB 2,069. Doubling every quantity produces the THB 4,138 upper unit.
Source lotus-riceSource lotus-eggsSource lotus-chickenSource lotus-cabbageSource lotus-bananasSource lotus-tofuSource lotus-milkSource lotus-oilSource lotus-water
The single row uses one grocery unit, the couple two and the family three adult-equivalent units. This makes scaling auditable, but it is not a nutrition plan and deliberately omits many staples, seasonings, snacks, imported products, delivery charges and restaurant meals. The discretionary line prices zero to eight THB 82 prepared meals per basket unit only to show one optional, repeatable input; it is not an eating-out or leisure budget.
Source lotus-riceSource lotus-eggsSource lotus-chickenSource lotus-cabbageSource lotus-bananasSource lotus-tofuSource lotus-milkSource lotus-oilSource lotus-waterSource lotus-prepared-meal
Price public transport without assuming route fit
Phuket Smart Bus listed a THB 1,990 30-day Route 1 pass and a THB 1,590 30-day Route 2 pass. The single scenario therefore shows one pass at THB 1,590–1,990, while the couple and family show two adult passes at THB 3,180–3,980. The operator's payment page separately showed a free Dragon Line, a THB 50 Bus Terminal–Patong fare and a THB 100 Airport–Rawai fare; those single fares are evidence context, not extra line items.
A priced pass does not prove that a route serves the chosen building, work, school or required travel times. The scenarios therefore state “route fit unproven” and include no taxi, ride-hailing, motorbike or car allowance. Before adopting a row, test the actual origin and destinations against the current route and timetable. If the route fails, replace the component with a sourced personal mobility plan rather than treating the bus amount as a universal Phuket transport cost.
Separate insurance, preventive care and school fees
Pacific Cross's Standard plan page describes cover and underwriting, but the checked public page did not expose a premium that could be reproduced for these households. Healthcare and insurance is therefore THB 0 included in every row and remains a publication gate. That zero is an exclusion marker, not a claim that insurance is unnecessary or free. A future version needs a quoted profile with age, cover, excess, underwriting assumptions and quote date.
Bangkok Hospital Phuket showed a Chivawattana package range of THB 4,500–40,000, valid through 30 September 2026. The model assumes one package per person per year and divides it by 12: THB 375–3,333 for one adult, 750–6,667 for two and 1,125–10,000 for three. This is an editorial cash-flow example for a named preventive package. It is not insurance, emergency-care cover or an estimate of likely annual treatment.
British International School, Phuket published 2026–27 Year 1–3 tuition of THB 750,000 a year, or THB 62,500 a month when divided by 12, and optional transport of THB 99,900 a year, lifting the recurring upper figure to THB 70,825. For the first year, the model also spreads the THB 6,000 application and THB 200,000 one-student placement fees across 12 months: THB 17,167. The THB 150,000 refundable bond is shown as up-front cash exposure but not counted as spend.
Keep up-front and irregular cash outside recurring spend
Irregular equivalents exist to prevent annual or first-year charges from disappearing inside a monthly headline. The single and couple rows contain only annualised preventive packages. The first-year family row adds the school's non-refundable application and placement charges. Refundable school bond, rent deposits, furnishing, moving, flights, visa and immigration costs, taxes, vehicle acquisition and emergency reserves remain outside the total. Budget those as a separate cash-flow schedule once sourced for the actual household.
Source bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource bisp-fees-2026-27Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thale
Test the inputs that can change the answer
Rent is the first sensitivity: substituting an actual asking rent changes the monthly total baht for baht. Next test electricity consumption and route fit, then replace the narrow grocery quantities with a four-week household list. For a family, school choice and first-year fees can outweigh all other non-rent lines in this model. Insurance can also be material but is not quantified here. Imported goods, owned vehicles and eating out should remain separate switches until each has a dated, reproducible price basis.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pea-ft-2026Source lotus-riceSource smartbus-passesSource pacific-cross-standardSource bisp-fees-2026-27
This dataset cannot yet answer whether Phuket is more expensive than Bangkok or Chiang Mai. A fair comparison needs the same household, bedroom, sample rank, consumption points, grocery quantities, transport assumption, insurance treatment, school scope and observation window in every city. Until sibling datasets meet that contract, categorical city rankings and foreign-currency headlines would manufacture precision that the underlying inputs do not support.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource pea-electricity-tariffSource pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource lotus-riceSource smartbus-passesSource pacific-cross-standardSource bisp-fees-2026-27
Update the ledger when a source window moves
The source ledger was refreshed on 10 August 2026. The electricity calculation applies PEA's May–August 2026 Ft; the hospital package expires on 30 September 2026; the school case is for 2026–27; and the retail, rent, bus, water and fibre pages are access-date observations. Recalculate when any of those windows changes. Publication still requires a current insurance quote, a broader food and discretionary basket, route-specific transport, sourced up-front costs, a water-tariff confirmation and an independent methodology review.
Source propertyscout-wichitSource propertyscout-rawaiSource propertyscout-choeng-thaleSource pea-ft-2026Source pwa-water-calculatorSource ais-fibre-plansSource smartbus-passesSource bisp-fees-2026-27Source pacific-cross-standardSource bangkok-hospital-chivawattanaSource lotus-rice