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: $2,138 in Crooked Island versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,461 in Crooked Island versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,784 in Crooked Island versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Crooked Island is roughly 69% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Crooked Island is 59% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$50.6 BSD 50.6

$4.56 ฿149

1008.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 BSD 13.10

$8.47 ฿276

54.66%

Cappuccino

$4.09 BSD 4.09

$3.03 ฿98.6

34.98%

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

$3.96 BSD 3.96

$0.69 ฿22.45

473.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 BSD 2.04

$0.37 ฿11.92

451.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 BSD 5.05

$2.49 ฿81.0

102.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 BSD 5.13

$3.66 ฿119

40.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$8.11 BSD 8.11

$2.18 ฿71.0

272.02%

White Bread (500g)

$6.02 BSD 6.02

$1.90 ฿62.0

216.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 BSD 3.53

$2.20 ฿71.6

60.45%

Eggs

$11.62 BSD 11.62

$2.22 ฿72.4

423.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.21 BSD 13.21

$19.99 ฿651

-33.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 BSD 7.94

$13.25 ฿432

-40.08%

Apples (1kg)

$6.37 BSD 6.37

$3.23 ฿105

97.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 BSD 1.28

$2.39 ฿78.0

-46.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.87 BSD 11.87

$2.08 ฿67.7

470.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 BSD 2.21

$1.59 ฿51.8

38.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 BSD 2.92

$1.48 ฿48.31

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 BSD 0.98

$1.03 ฿33.54

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 BSD 2.01

$0.52 ฿16.83

286.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$29.91 BSD 29.91

$18.79 ฿612

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.03 BSD 5.03

$1.76 ฿57.2

185.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 BSD 4.97

$2.76 ฿89.8

80.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 BSD 2.03

$1.04 ฿33.74

95.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$216 BSD 216

$124 ฿4,025

74.99%

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

$60.1 BSD 60.1

$13.52 ฿440

344.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 BSD 69.1

$18.69 ฿609

269.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 BSD 79.5

$59.5 ฿1,937

33.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 BSD 50.7

$35.07 ฿1,142

44.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$247 BSD 247

$115 ฿3,754

114.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BSD 102

$84.1 ฿2,737

20.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 BSD 547

$619 ฿20.1K

-11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 BSD 541

$433 ฿14.1K

25.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 BSD 1,594

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-22.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 BSD 1,626

$1,511 ฿49.2K

7.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,095 BSD 1,095

$507 ฿16.5K

115.97%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Crooked Island and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 116% 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 69% in total monthly costs ($2,138 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Crooked Island pays 116% 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: $547 in Crooked Island versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,138 per month in Crooked Island versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,138 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 69% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.