😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,988 in Carmarthen versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,922 in Carmarthen versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,857 in Carmarthen versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Carmarthen is roughly 57% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Carmarthen is 48% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.75£15.46
$4.70฿153
341.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9£49.81
$45.37฿1,482
47.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.60£7.15
$8.43฿275
13.88%
Cappuccino
$3.55£2.64
$2.93฿95.6
21.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57£1.91
$0.69฿22.40
272.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73£1.29
$0.37฿11.99
367.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.52£4.12
$2.41฿78.6
129.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86£3.62
$3.72฿122
30.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82£1.35
$2.23฿72.9
-18.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.22£0.91
$1.83฿59.8
-33.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.96£2.20
$2.17฿70.8
36.41%
Eggs
$4.90£3.65
$2.21฿72.3
121.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.60£7.90
$19.74฿645
-46.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.57£7.87
$3.63฿119
191.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.68£13.17
$13.53฿442
30.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.68£2.74
$3.28฿107
12.20%
Banana(1kg)
$1.04£0.77
$1.61฿52.6
-35.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.63£3.45
$2.41฿78.6
92.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.65£3.47
$2.08฿68.1
123.56%
Potato(1kg)
$0.93£0.69
$1.53฿49.93
-39.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.64£1.22
$1.48฿48.36
10.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.71£0.53
$0.99฿32.29
-28.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58£0.43
$0.51฿16.67
13.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$17.47£13.01
$4.41฿144
296.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.93£7.40
$19.38฿633
-48.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42£1.80
$1.78฿58.1
35.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20£2.38
$2.71฿88.6
18.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.57£3.40
$1.37฿44.79
233.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$89.2£66.5
$11.39฿372
683.23%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.00£2.98
$3.02฿98.6
32.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59£1.18
$0.99฿32.48
60.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.74£19.92
$14.10฿461
89.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.94£1.45
$1.36฿44.51
42.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.7K£29.6K
$28.2K฿921.1K
40.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.3K£32.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
31.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$358£267
$122฿3,975
194.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.92£14.10
$13.57฿443
39.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.5£40.61
$18.31฿598
197.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.2£40.38
$60.2฿1,967
-10.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.72£5.00
$8.69฿284
-22.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,576£1,174
$693฿22.6K
127.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.6K£12.3K
$15.7K฿512.3K
5.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.3£63.5
$59.5฿1,944
43.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.98£22.33
$34.77฿1,136
-13.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.6£68.2
$115฿3,743
-20.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.5£65.2
$83.3฿2,720
4.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$824£614
$613฿20.0K
34.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$613£457
$437฿14.3K
40.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,296£966
$2,094฿68.4K
-38.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,100£819
$1,509฿49.3K
-27.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,826£4,341
$3,749฿122.5K
55.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Carmarthen
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,997£1,488
$508฿16.6K
293.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.9
5.33
10.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Carmarthen: May 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $824 in Carmarthen and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Carmarthen pays 293% 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: $67.0 in Carmarthen vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $293 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Carmarthen or Phuket?
Carmarthen pays 293% more on average, 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: $824 in Carmarthen versus $613 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 Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Carmarthen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Carmarthen or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $67.0 in Carmarthen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Carmarthen or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,988 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 57% 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