🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,220 in Caernarfon versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,734 in Caernarfon versus $2,089 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,247 in Caernarfon versus $2,913 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Caernarfon costs roughly 4% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Caernarfon12% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.45£9.94
$4.66฿154
188.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.0£68.8
$32.22฿1,065
188.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.36£6.92
$8.68฿287
7.83%
Cappuccino
$4.04£2.99
$2.90฿95.8
39.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63£1.94
$0.84฿27.89
213.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88£1.39
$0.49฿16.16
283.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.96£3.66
$2.48฿82.0
100.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16£3.07
$3.73฿123
11.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.86£1.37
$1.89฿62.3
-1.59%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81£1.34
$1.41฿46.54
28.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19£1.62
$1.62฿53.6
35.19%
Eggs
$2.50£1.85
$2.24฿74.1
11.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.38£8.41
$19.84฿656
-42.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.24£5.35
$3.48฿115
108.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.33£11.33
$11.37฿376
34.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.52£1.86
$2.90฿95.8
-13.10%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39£1.02
$1.72฿57.0
-19.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.32£0.98
$2.27฿75.1
-41.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37£1.01
$2.13฿70.4
-35.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.63£1.20
$1.47฿48.72
10.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.80£1.33
$1.42฿46.92
26.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.42£1.05
$1.10฿36.25
29.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58£1.17
$0.60฿19.76
163.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$22.30£16.48
$4.31฿142
417.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.32£6.89
$18.60฿615
-49.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.62£2.68
$1.80฿59.5
101.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38£2.50
$2.97฿98.0
13.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$5.80£4.28
$2.25฿74.2
157.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$68.4£50.6
$23.49฿776
191.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.11£3.78
$3.10฿102
64.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.39£1.77
$1.08฿35.56
121.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.85£18.37
$3.87฿128
542.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01£1.49
$1.43฿47.16
40.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K£28.4K
$27.8K฿918.0K
38.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.8K£30.1K
$27.0K฿891.5K
51.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$324£239
$105฿3,462
208.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.63£16.73
$11.39฿376
98.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.92£30.25
$17.54฿580
133.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.28£22.38
$54.3฿1,795
-44.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.12£11.91
$7.78฿257
107.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,624£1,200
$576฿19.0K
181.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$24.4K£18.0K
$11.6K฿382.7K
110.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109£80.9
$63.6฿2,103
72.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.1£37.80
$29.10฿961
75.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106£78.5
$96.2฿3,179
10.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.4£59.5
$90.0฿2,974
-10.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$657£486
$733฿24.2K
-10.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$501฿16.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,126฿70.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,614£1,193
$1,252฿41.4K
28.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,534฿116.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,622฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Caernarfon
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,616£2,673
$508฿16.8K
612.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.09
5.57
-8.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Caernarfon: September 6, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Caernarfon and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Caernarfon pays 613% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $93.0 in Caernarfon vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $275 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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
Caernarfon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Caernarfon?
Caernarfon is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Caernarfon or Phuket?
Average pay runs 613% higher in Caernarfon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Caernarfon and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Caernarfon versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Caernarfon or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Caernarfon – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Caernarfon and in Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,220 per month in Caernarfon versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Caernarfon or in Phuket?
At $1,220 in Caernarfon versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caernarfon but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Caernarfon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Caernarfon or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Caernarfon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Caernarfon or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Caernarfon and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Caernarfon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Caernarfon vs other spots: cost of living compared