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: $2,154 in Crooked Island versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,489 in Crooked Island versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,823 in Crooked Island versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Crooked Island is roughly 70% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Crooked Island is 62% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$50.3 BSD 50.3

$4.48 ฿150

1023.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.12 BSD 13.12

$8.76 ฿292

49.77%

Cappuccino

$4.02 BSD 4.02

$2.97 ฿99.0

35.35%

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

$4.11 BSD 4.11

$0.69 ฿22.90

495.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 BSD 2.04

$0.39 ฿13.04

423.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 BSD 5.11

$2.53 ฿84.4

101.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 BSD 5.08

$3.75 ฿125

35.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$7.92 BSD 7.92

$2.15 ฿71.6

268.37%

White Bread (500g)

$5.92 BSD 5.92

$1.82 ฿60.6

225.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 BSD 3.42

$2.18 ฿72.9

56.88%

Eggs

$11.52 BSD 11.52

$2.25 ฿75.0

412.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 BSD 13.24

$20.00 ฿667

-33.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 BSD 8.14

$13.56 ฿452

-39.97%

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 BSD 6.48

$3.24 ฿108

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 BSD 1.27

$2.33 ฿77.8

-45.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$12.24 BSD 12.24

$2.07 ฿69.1

491.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 BSD 2.24

$1.55 ฿51.6

44.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 BSD 2.94

$1.46 ฿48.54

101.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 BSD 0.99

$0.98 ฿32.86

1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 BSD 1.95

$0.48 ฿16.09

306.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$30.15 BSD 30.15

$18.57 ฿620

62.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.89 BSD 4.89

$1.86 ฿61.9

162.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 BSD 5.14

$2.65 ฿88.6

93.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 BSD 2.02

$1.03 ฿34.41

96.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$220 BSD 220

$123 ฿4,105

78.42%

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

$59.9 BSD 59.9

$13.77 ฿459

335.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 BSD 70.6

$18.33 ฿611

285.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 BSD 81.1

$59.3 ฿1,978

36.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 BSD 50.8

$34.69 ฿1,157

46.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$250 BSD 250

$115 ฿3,843

117.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 BSD 99.4

$83.8 ฿2,794

18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 BSD 548

$621 ฿20.7K

-11.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 BSD 557

$446 ฿14.9K

24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 BSD 1,623

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-20.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 BSD 1,626

$1,496 ฿49.9K

8.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 BSD 1,109

$494 ฿16.5K

124.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Crooked Island and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 125% 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 70% in total monthly costs ($2,154 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 125% higher in Crooked Island, 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: $548 in Crooked Island versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,154 per month in Crooked Island versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,154 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 70% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.