😐A single person spends $2,104 per month in Frankston vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,029 per month in Frankston vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,954 per month in Frankston vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Frankston costs about 71% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Frankston sits 57% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.85A$16.59
$4.63฿151
155.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.6A$110
$46.84฿1,532
67.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.81A$13.73
$8.84฿289
10.97%
Cappuccino
$2.64A$3.70
$3.00฿98.0
-12.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61A$3.66
$0.74฿24.25
252.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40A$3.35
$0.37฿11.95
548.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.34A$10.27
$2.44฿79.8
200.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.04A$9.85
$3.61฿118
95.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49A$2.09
$2.26฿73.9
-34.07%
White Bread(500g)
$2.37A$3.32
$1.84฿60.1
28.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.90A$2.67
$2.24฿73.4
-15.18%
Eggs
$3.53A$4.94
$2.32฿75.7
52.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.72A$12.21
$19.67฿643
-55.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.15A$12.81
$3.65฿119
150.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.04A$9.85
$13.10฿428
-46.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.57A$3.59
$3.39฿111
-24.19%
Banana(1kg)
$2.80A$3.91
$1.64฿53.7
70.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67A$3.74
$2.41฿79.0
10.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.54A$3.56
$2.03฿66.4
25.12%
Potato(1kg)
$2.71A$3.79
$1.56฿50.9
73.72%
Onion(1kg)
$2.31A$3.24
$1.50฿48.94
54.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.12A$2.97
$1.02฿33.50
107.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27A$1.77
$0.49฿16.00
159.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$32.50A$45.51
$4.45฿145
630.34%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.65A$9.31
$18.88฿617
-64.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.93A$4.11
$1.78฿58.1
64.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88A$5.43
$2.75฿90.1
41.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.29A$4.61
$1.40฿45.81
135.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$64.2A$89.8
$11.48฿376
458.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.60A$5.04
$3.12฿102
15.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.40A$1.96
$1.00฿32.67
40.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.58A$37.21
$14.09฿461
88.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.09A$1.52
$1.35฿44.19
-19.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7KA$40.2K
$27.2K฿888.9K
5.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KA$32.5K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-29.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$154A$216
$125฿4,087
23.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.77A$13.68
$13.57฿444
-28.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2A$70.3
$18.52฿606
171.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.75A$68.3
$61.5฿2,010
-20.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.46A$21.64
$16.84฿551
-8.19%
Cinema Ticket
$15.99A$22.39
$9.19฿300
73.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,725A$2,414
$698฿22.8K
146.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.2KA$26.8K
$15.6K฿509.9K
22.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8A$93.5
$57.8฿1,889
15.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.4A$76.1
$35.24฿1,152
54.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.9A$113
$113฿3,699
-28.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$45.25A$63.4
$86.4฿2,825
-47.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,263A$1,768
$616฿20.1K
105.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,085A$1,519
$446฿14.6K
143.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048A$2,867
$2,048฿67.0K
-0.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,650A$2,310
$1,492฿48.8K
10.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,604A$7,846
$3,779฿123.6K
48.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,591A$7,827
$2,649฿86.6K
111.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Frankston
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,486A$6,281
$524฿17.1K
756.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.19
5.33
16.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Frankston: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,263 in Frankston versus $616 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 756% higher in Frankston, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Frankston versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $279 in Frankston vs $292 in Phuket – so Frankston 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
Frankston vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Frankston?
Yes – Frankston is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,156 per month in Frankston and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Frankston and Phuket?
Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Frankston – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Frankston or Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Frankston and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Frankston or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Frankston at $2,104. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Frankston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Frankston or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Frankston or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Frankston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.