Cost of Living Comparison Between Crooked Island and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Crooked Island and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,198 in Crooked Island versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,506 in Crooked Island versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,814 in Crooked Island versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Crooked Island is roughly 78% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Crooked Island is 64% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$50.2 BSD 50.2

$4.63 ฿151

985.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 BSD 12.85

$8.84 ฿287

45.36%

Cappuccino

$3.97 BSD 3.97

$3.00 ฿97.4

32.33%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 BSD 3.98

$0.74 ฿24.11

437.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 BSD 2.05

$0.37 ฿11.88

454.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 BSD 5.05

$2.44 ฿79.3

106.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 BSD 5.11

$3.61 ฿117

41.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$7.84 BSD 7.84

$2.26 ฿73.5

246.90%

White Bread (500g)

$5.83 BSD 5.83

$1.84 ฿59.8

216.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 BSD 3.59

$2.24 ฿73.0

60.27%

Eggs

$11.55 BSD 11.55

$2.32 ฿75.3

397.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 BSD 13.04

$19.67 ฿639

-33.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 BSD 7.92

$13.10 ฿426

-39.54%

Apples (1kg)

$6.41 BSD 6.41

$3.39 ฿110

89.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 BSD 1.27

$2.41 ฿78.5

-47.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.91 BSD 11.91

$2.03 ฿66.0

486.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 BSD 2.14

$1.56 ฿50.6

37.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 BSD 2.89

$1.50 ฿48.66

92.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 BSD 1.02

$1.02 ฿33.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 BSD 1.96

$0.49 ฿15.91

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$30.30 BSD 30.30

$18.88 ฿614

60.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.86 BSD 4.86

$1.78 ฿57.7

173.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 BSD 4.89

$2.75 ฿89.5

77.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 BSD 2.02

$1.00 ฿32.48

102.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K ฿883.7K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$217 BSD 217

$125 ฿4,063

73.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$60.3 BSD 60.3

$13.57 ฿441

343.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 BSD 71.2

$18.52 ฿602

284.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$698 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 BSD 78.7

$57.8 ฿1,878

36.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.53 BSD 49.53

$35.24 ฿1,146

40.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$249 BSD 249

$113 ฿3,677

120.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BSD 101

$86.4 ฿2,808

17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 BSD 542

$616 ฿20.0K

-12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 BSD 549

$446 ฿14.5K

23.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 BSD 1,571

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 BSD 1,583

$1,492 ฿48.5K

6.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,091 BSD 1,091

$524 ฿17.0K

108.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Crooked Island: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Crooked Island and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 108% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Crooked Island vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Crooked Island and Phuket differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($2,198 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Crooked Island pays 108% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $542 in Crooked Island versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,198 per month in Crooked Island versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,198 in Crooked Island, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Crooked Island. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Crooked Island 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.