😐A single person spends $2,258 per month in Braintree vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,365 per month in Braintree vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,473 per month in Braintree vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Braintree costs about 80% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Braintree sits 64% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.73£15.38
$4.56฿151
354.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.1£69.8
$32.62฿1,082
188.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.80£8.01
$8.90฿295
21.35%
Cappuccino
$4.74£3.51
$2.80฿93.0
69.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93£1.43
$0.88฿29.19
119.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18£0.87
$0.49฿16.23
140.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.74£5.00
$2.39฿79.2
182.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.13£4.54
$3.71฿123
65.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.58£1.17
$1.79฿59.3
-11.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36£1.01
$1.44฿47.81
-5.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67£1.24
$1.58฿52.6
5.70%
Eggs
$3.25£2.41
$2.13฿70.5
52.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.60£6.38
$19.92฿661
-56.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.94£5.89
$3.43฿114
131.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53£10.03
$11.33฿376
19.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24£2.41
$2.95฿97.8
9.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44£1.07
$1.72฿57.1
-16.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.56£1.90
$2.32฿77.1
10.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.99£2.22
$2.08฿69.0
43.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.72£1.27
$1.47฿48.77
17.01%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45£1.07
$1.36฿45.05
6.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.28£0.95
$1.10฿36.45
16.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45£1.08
$0.57฿19.06
154.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$23.78£17.63
$4.27฿142
456.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.18£6.81
$18.42฿611
-50.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74£2.03
$1.87฿62.1
46.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40£1.78
$2.92฿96.9
-17.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.45£2.56
$2.22฿73.6
55.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$95.3£70.7
$22.90฿759
316.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.08£3.77
$3.03฿101
67.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.38£1.02
$1.07฿35.63
28.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.83£16.19
$3.93฿130
455.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.96£1.46
$1.49฿49.49
31.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K£29.1K
$27.1K฿899.8K
44.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.0K£30.4K
$27.5K฿910.6K
49.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$251£186
$103฿3,410
144.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.04£11.16
$10.99฿365
36.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.59£30.10
$17.51฿581
131.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.21£35.02
$53.5฿1,776
-11.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.20฿371
-
Cinema Ticket
$21.30£15.80
$7.48฿248
184.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,070£794
$557฿18.5K
92.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.3K£15.1K
$11.9K฿393.2K
71.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.3£52.9
$64.1฿2,125
11.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.10£23.07
$29.07฿964
6.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.4£60.4
$96.0฿3,183
-15.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.4£38.13
$90.3฿2,997
-43.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,231£913
$730฿24.2K
68.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,035£768
$500฿16.6K
107.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,115£1,569
$2,090฿69.3K
1.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,737£1,288
$1,209฿40.1K
43.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,191£3,850
$3,596฿119.3K
44.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,409£3,270
$2,512฿83.3K
75.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Braintree
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.84
5.57
-13.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Braintree: August 29, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,231 in Braintree versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Braintree versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Braintree vs $273 in Phuket – so Braintree wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Braintree vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Braintree and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,258 in Braintree, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 80% apart. Braintree costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Braintree compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,387 per month in Braintree and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Braintree and 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Braintree – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Braintree and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Braintree at $2,258. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Braintree it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Braintree and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,253 in Phuket to $2,258 in Braintree. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Braintree or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Braintree and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Braintree makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.