Guide
Moving to Phuket: costs, visas and where to live
Khun Mark lives in Phuket, and helping people make the move is a big part of what he does. This guide covers the practical side: what it costs to live here, which visa fits, where the international schools are, how healthcare works and which part of the island suits which kind of life.
Updated 27th October 2026 · 7 min read
What it costs to live in Phuket
Phuket is more expensive than most of Thailand and cheaper than most of the places Khun Mark's clients move from. Your biggest variables are housing, school fees and how often you eat imported food.
Everyday costs. Numbeo's crowd-sourced figures, updated on 2 October 2026, put monthly costs excluding rent at about ฿21,400 for a single person and about ฿77,800 for a family of four. Sample prices from the same data:
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | ฿150 |
| Dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant | ฿1,088 |
| Cappuccino | ฿93 |
| Basic utilities for an 85 sqm apartment, monthly | ฿3,300 |
| Mobile phone plan with 10GB+ data, monthly | ฿377 |
| Home broadband, monthly | ฿577 |
| Gym membership, monthly | ฿1,759 |
| Petrol, per litre | ฿49 |
Most long-term leases ask for two months' deposit and one month in advance.
Schools. For families, school fees are usually the largest cost after housing. See the schools section below.
Visas: how to stay long term
Owning property in Thailand does not give you the right to live here. You need a visa. These are the main long-stay options in 2026.
Visas: how to stay long term
Thailand Privilege (formerly Thailand Elite)
A membership programme that comes with a long-stay Privilege Entry visa. You pay once for a fixed term, with no requirement to invest, work or show income. Each entry allows a stay of up to a year, which can be extended in Thailand.
| Tier | Fee | Membership term |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | ฿650,000 | 5 years |
| Gold | ฿900,000 | 5 years |
| Platinum | ฿1,500,000 | 10 years |
| Diamond | ฿2,500,000 | 15 years |
| Reserve | ฿5,000,000 | 20 years |
Family members can be added on Platinum and above for an additional fee per person. There is also a ฿50,000 application fee, which is credited if you are approved. It is the simplest route for people who want certainty and can pay for it.
Visas: how to stay long term
Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa
A 10-year visa (five years, renewable for five more) for four groups:
- Wealthy global citizens: at least USD 1,000,000 in assets and USD 500,000 invested in Thailand. Thai property can count towards the investment.
- Wealthy pensioners: aged 50 or over, with at least USD 80,000 a year in pension or passive income, or USD 40,000 plus USD 250,000 invested in Thailand.
- Work-from-Thailand professionals: remote workers for established overseas companies earning at least USD 80,000 a year.
- Highly skilled professionals: working in targeted industries, generally earning at least USD 80,000 a year, or USD 40,000 with a master's degree or specialist expertise.
The visa fee is ฿50,000. LTR holders report to immigration once a year rather than every 90 days.
Visas: how to stay long term
Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
A five-year, multiple-entry visa for remote workers, freelancers and people on approved "soft power" courses such as Muay Thai or Thai cooking. Each entry allows 180 days, extendable once for another 180. You need to show ฿500,000 in savings, and the fee is ฿10,000. Language schools were removed from the eligible activities in 2025.
Visas: how to stay long term
Retirement visas
For people aged 50 and over. The Non-Immigrant O retirement route requires either ฿800,000 in a Thai bank account or a monthly income of ฿65,000. The Non-Immigrant O-A, applied for from outside Thailand, also requires health insurance at levels set by the Thai authorities.
Visas: how to stay long term
Tax
If you spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year, you are a Thai tax resident. Since 2024, foreign income brought into Thailand by tax residents can be taxable. Take advice from a tax adviser in both countries before you move.
International schools
Phuket has more than 20 international schools and kindergartens. The main ones by area:
North and Thalang (near Bang Tao, Layan and the airport)
- UWC Thailand, Thalang: IB from primary to diploma.
- Glenalmond Phuket International School, within Thanyapura in Thalang: British National Curriculum. It opened in August 2026 with Early Years and Primary, and secondary years follow from August 2027.
- HeadStart International School, Cherngtalay campus: British curriculum.
East and Koh Kaew
- British International School Phuket (BISP), Koh Kaew: British curriculum, IGCSE and IB Diploma, on a 44-acre campus.
Central (Kathu)
- QSI International School of Phuket, Kathu, off the Bypass Road: American curriculum with Advanced Placement.
South (Chalong and Rawai)
- BCIS International School Phuket, Chalong: British Cambridge and French curriculum streams, ages 18 months to 18.
- HeadStart International School, Chaofah City campus: British, IGCSE, A Levels and BTEC.
- International School of Phuket (ISP), a short drive from Rawai: Cambridge primary and secondary.
Other options include Kajonkiet International School, Oak Meadow, Lighthouse and several Montessori and Waldorf Steiner schools.
The international schools guide compares 2026-27 fees school by school. Fees change every year, and most schools charge extra for registration, uniforms, transport and trips. Visit before you choose a home: the school run shapes daily life more than almost anything else.
Healthcare
Private healthcare in Phuket is good and widely used by expats. The main private hospitals are Bangkok Hospital Phuket and Bangkok Hospital Siriroj, both in Phuket Town, with English-speaking staff and international patient services. Bangkok Hospital Phuket also runs clinics in Laguna and Kamala for everyday care. Public hospitals include Vachira Phuket in Phuket Town, with smaller public hospitals in Thalang, Patong and Chalong.
Private care is not cheap. Take out international health insurance before you arrive; some visas require it.
Where to live: areas by lifestyle
Families: Bang Tao, Laguna and Cherngtalay
Close to HeadStart, UWC Thailand and Glenalmond, with Boat Avenue for daily life and around 20 to 30 minutes to the airport. The Bang Tao and Laguna guide has the detail.
Families wanting space: Layan and Thalang
Gated villa estates, quiet streets and short drives to the northern schools. See the Layan guide.
Retirees and long-stay residents: Rawai and Nai Harn
A settled community, Nai Harn Beach and lake, and more villa for your money, at the cost of a longer airport run. See the Rawai and Nai Harn guide.
Remote workers: Bang Tao, Cherngtalay and Rawai
Good cafés, fibre internet in newer buildings and a community of people working online. Kamala suits those who want a walkable beach town.
Views and prestige: Surin, Kamala and Kalim
Hillside villas and sunsets on Millionaire's Mile. See the Surin and Kamala guide.
Privacy and the water: Cape Yamu and the east coast
Oceanfront estates, marinas and BISP nearby. See the Cape Yamu guide.
Rent first, then buy
Khun Mark usually suggests renting for six to twelve months before you buy. It lets you test the school run, the rainy season and the neighbours before you commit. The VIP Villa Stay is another way to try island life, with airport transfers and a home office, while he shows you homes.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Where do most expats live in Phuket?
The two biggest expat communities are Bang Tao, Laguna and Cherngtalay on the west coast, and Rawai and Nai Harn in the south. Families tend to choose the west and north for the schools; retirees often choose the south. Beyond Bang Tao and Rawai, many foreigners live in Kamala, Chalong and Kata, and around Patong for work. Families increasingly live in Thalang and Koh Kaew, near the larger international schools.
Can you live on $3,000 a month in Thailand?
A single person or couple can live comfortably in a condo in Phuket on that budget. A family with a pool villa and international school fees will need considerably more.
This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Planning the move?
Tell Khun Mark where you are in the process, and he will help you find somewhere to rent, then somewhere to buy.
