Cost of Living Comparison Between Bedford and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bedford and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,294 per month in Bedford vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Bedford vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,463 per month in Bedford vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Bedford costs about 81% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bedford sits 71% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.34 £15.16
$4.70 ฿153
332.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.8 £51.3
$45.37 ฿1,482
51.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.05 £8.23
$8.43 ฿275
31.08%
Cappuccino
$4.03 £3.00
$2.93 ฿95.6
37.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 £1.45
$0.69 ฿22.40
182.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 £0.86
$0.37 ฿11.99
213.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.35 £3.99
$2.41 ฿78.6
121.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 £4.49
$3.72 ฿122
62.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 £1.09
$2.23 ฿72.9
-34.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.66 £1.23
$1.83 ฿59.8
-9.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 £1.62
$2.17 ฿70.8
-
Eggs
$3.74 £2.79
$2.21 ฿72.3
69.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.44 £7.78
$19.74 ฿645
-47.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.35 £6.97
$3.63 ฿119
157.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.15 £9.80
$13.53 ฿442
-2.81%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 £2.36
$3.28 ฿107
-3.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 £1.33
$1.61 ฿52.6
11.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 £2.23
$2.41 ฿78.6
24.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.30 £2.46
$2.08 ฿68.1
58.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 £0.99
$1.53 ฿49.93
-13.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 £1.18
$1.48 ฿48.36
6.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 £0.80
$0.99 ฿32.29
8.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 £1.08
$0.51 ฿16.67
184.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.13 £15.00
$4.41 ฿144
356.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.58 £7.88
$19.38 ฿633
-45.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 £2.11
$1.78 ฿58.1
58.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 £1.85
$2.71 ฿88.6
-8.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.71 £2.02
$1.37 ฿44.79
97.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 £66.0
$11.39 ฿372
678.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.23 £3.89
$3.02 ฿98.6
73.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.30 £2.46
$0.99 ฿32.48
233.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.84 £22.23
$14.10 ฿461
111.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 £1.46
$1.36 ฿44.51
44.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K £28.6K
$28.2K ฿921.1K
36.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K £30.8K
$32.9K ฿1.1M
25.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$284 £212
$122 ฿3,975
133.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.20 £11.33
$13.57 ฿443
12.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.76 £28.13
$18.31 ฿598
106.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.81 £34.12
$60.2 ฿1,967
-23.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14 ฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.90 £11.10
$8.69 ฿284
71.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,032 £769
$693 ฿22.6K
48.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.6K £16.8K
$15.7K ฿512.3K
43.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 £76.5
$59.5 ฿1,944
72.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.22 £27.73
$34.77 ฿1,136
7.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 £81.4
$115 ฿3,743
-4.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.3 £71.0
$83.3 ฿2,720
14.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,144 £852
$613 ฿20.0K
86.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$971 £724
$437 ฿14.3K
122.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 £1,504
$2,094 ฿68.4K
-3.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,707 £1,271
$1,509 ฿49.3K
13.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,749 ฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,616 ฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bedford
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,110 £2,317
$508 ฿16.6K
512.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
5.33
9.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bedford: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Bedford versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 512% higher in Bedford, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Bedford versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Bedford vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bedford or Phuket?
Bedford costs about 81% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bedford vs Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,440 per month in Bedford and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bedford or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Bedford compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,294 in Bedford and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How expensive is transport in Bedford vs Phuket?
Public transport costs about 678% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Bedford or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Bedford at $2,294. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bedford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bedford or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,294 in Bedford. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Bedford compared to Phuket?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Bedford or Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bedford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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