😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Carmarthen versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,273 in Carmarthen versus $2,089 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,051 in Carmarthen versus $2,913 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Carmarthen is roughly 97% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Carmarthen is 81% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.35£17.26
$4.66฿154
401.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4£50.5
$32.22฿1,065
112.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.56£7.07
$8.68฿287
10.14%
Cappuccino
$3.61£2.67
$2.90฿95.8
24.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47£1.83
$0.84฿27.89
194.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72£1.27
$0.49฿16.16
251.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.50£4.06
$2.48฿82.0
121.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.85£3.59
$3.73฿123
30.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79£1.32
$1.89฿62.3
-5.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.19£0.88
$1.41฿46.54
-15.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.00£2.21
$1.62฿53.6
85.19%
Eggs
$4.83£3.57
$2.24฿74.1
115.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.72£10.14
$19.84฿656
-30.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.03£8.15
$3.48฿115
216.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.66£12.31
$11.37฿376
46.53%
Apples(1kg)
$4.83£3.57
$2.90฿95.8
66.55%
Banana(1kg)
$2.64£1.95
$1.72฿57.0
53.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.03£3.72
$2.27฿75.1
121.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.79£4.28
$2.13฿70.4
171.83%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04£1.51
$1.47฿48.72
38.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.78£1.31
$1.42฿46.92
25.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.91£1.41
$1.10฿36.25
73.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.01£1.48
$0.60฿19.76
235.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$23.87£17.65
$4.31฿142
453.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.46£8.47
$18.60฿615
-38.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.99£2.95
$1.80฿59.5
121.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32£2.45
$2.97฿98.0
11.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.42£3.27
$2.25฿74.2
96.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$95.1£70.3
$23.49฿776
304.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.17£4.56
$3.10฿102
99.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.82£1.35
$1.08฿35.56
68.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.31£20.18
$3.87฿128
605.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.95£1.44
$1.43฿47.16
36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K£28.4K
$27.8K฿918.0K
38.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1K£30.4K
$27.0K฿891.5K
52.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$295£218
$105฿3,462
181.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.96£12.53
$11.39฿376
48.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.30£32.74
$17.54฿580
152.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.39£35.03
$54.3฿1,795
-12.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.62£15.24
$7.78฿257
165.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,668£1,233
$576฿19.0K
189.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$24.6K£18.2K
$11.6K฿382.7K
112.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.6£61.8
$63.6฿2,103
31.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.42£23.22
$29.10฿961
7.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101£74.8
$96.2฿3,179
5.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.2£63.0
$90.0฿2,974
-5.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,247£921
$733฿24.2K
70.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,046£773
$501฿16.5K
108.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,274£942
$2,126฿70.2K
-40.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,083£800
$1,252฿41.4K
-13.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,154£3,810
$3,534฿116.8K
45.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,454£2,553
$2,622฿86.6K
31.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,020£1,493
$508฿16.8K
297.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.11
5.57
-8.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Carmarthen: September 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Carmarthen and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Carmarthen pays 298% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $68.0 in Carmarthen vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 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
Carmarthen vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Carmarthen?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Carmarthen or Phuket?
Average pay runs 298% higher in Carmarthen, 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 Carmarthen and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,247 in Carmarthen versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Carmarthen and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Carmarthen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Carmarthen or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $68.0 in Carmarthen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Carmarthen or in Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,495 in Carmarthen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Carmarthen. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Carmarthen or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Carmarthen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Carmarthen or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Carmarthen 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Carmarthen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Carmarthen vs other spots: cost of living compared