Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,045 per month in East London vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,696 per month in East London vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in East London vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

East London is about 15% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both East London and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – East London 24% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 R 151

$4.41 ฿147

111.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 R 622

$32.26 ฿1,073

18.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 R 93.9

$8.93 ฿297

-35.27%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.49

$2.90 ฿96.3

-26.90%

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

$1.09 R 17.65

$0.88 ฿29.27

23.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 12.94

$0.48 ฿16.00

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 46.18

$2.35 ฿78.2

20.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 R 51.6

$3.72 ฿124

-14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.56

$1.87 ฿62.0

-35.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 16.04

$1.47 ฿48.75

-32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.32

$1.55 ฿51.6

-3.23%

Eggs

$2.21 R 35.95

$2.10 ฿69.9

5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 R 147

$19.59 ฿651

-53.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 R 90.0

$3.42 ฿114

61.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R 138

$11.38 ฿378

-25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.43

$2.98 ฿99.2

-49.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.75

$1.68 ฿56.0

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.25

$2.21 ฿73.5

-21.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.01

$2.16 ฿71.9

-28.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.77

$1.52 ฿50.7

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.85

$1.34 ฿44.49

9.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 R 19.53

$1.13 ฿37.53

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 14.95

$0.55 ฿18.17

67.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 R 47.46

$4.26 ฿142

-31.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.99 R 81.1

$19.09 ฿635

-73.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.25

$1.78 ฿59.2

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 R 29.40

$2.78 ฿92.5

-34.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 R 24.78

$2.23 ฿74.1

-31.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.19 R 783

$22.74 ฿756

111.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 R 19.59

$3.03 ฿101

-60.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R 8.16

$1.02 ฿34.02

-50.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 R 138

$3.89 ฿129

118.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R 21.66

$1.49 ฿49.57

-10.74%

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

$36.2K R 588.0K

$26.6K ฿883.8K

36.08%

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

$29.4K R 478.3K

$27.0K ฿898.7K

8.86%

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

$124 R 2,018

$102 ฿3,407

21.17%

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

$33.92 R 551

$11.33 ฿377

199.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.33 R 721

$17.40 ฿578

154.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.59 R 644

$52.1 ฿1,732

-23.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 R 78.4

$7.69 ฿256

-37.32%

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

$179 R 2,913

$561 ฿18.6K

-68.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,458 R 88.7K

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-52.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R 952

$63.0 ฿2,096

-7.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 R 558

$29.52 ฿982

16.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 R 1,187

$98.0 ฿3,259

-25.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 R 1,626

$88.5 ฿2,943

13.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 R 4,787

$738 ฿24.5K

-60.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 R 4,141

$482 ฿16.0K

-47.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 R 8,916

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 R 10.7K

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-46.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,704 R 27.7K

$494 ฿16.4K

245.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for East London: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in East London versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 245% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in East London versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in East London vs $274 in Phuket – so East London wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

East London vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,045 in East London, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 18% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,567 per month in East London and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in East London and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Phuket at $1,232. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,045 in East London to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with East London. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.