🙂A single person spends $357 per month in Frederiksted vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $743 per month in Frederiksted vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,129 per month in Frederiksted vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Frederiksted is about 72% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Frederiksted and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Frederiksted73% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.13$30.13
$4.56฿150
560.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.7$80.7
$46.63฿1,535
73.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
-
$8.47฿279
-
Cappuccino
-
$3.03฿99.7
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.69฿22.69
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.37฿12.04
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.05$7.05
$2.49฿81.9
183.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.86$7.86
$3.66฿120
114.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
-
$2.18฿71.8
-
White Bread(500g)
-
$1.90฿62.6
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$2.20฿72.4
-
Eggs
-
$2.22฿73.2
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
-
$19.99฿658
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
-
$3.66฿121
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$13.25฿436
-
Apples(1kg)
-
$3.23฿106
-
Banana(1kg)
-
$1.70฿55.9
-
Oranges(1kg)
-
$2.39฿78.8
-
Tomato(1kg)
-
$2.08฿68.4
-
Potato(1kg)
-
$1.59฿52.4
-
Onion(1kg)
-
$1.48฿48.83
-
Lettuce(1 head)
-
$1.03฿33.90
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.52฿17.01
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.25฿140
-
Wine(Bottle)
-
$18.79฿618
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.76฿57.8
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.76฿90.8
-
🚌 Getting Around
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.36฿44.79
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿374
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.14฿103
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.04฿34.10
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$13.77฿453
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
-
$1.34฿44.26
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$27.7K฿911.1K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.9K฿1.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
-
$124฿4,069
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.52฿445
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$18.69฿615
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.1$61.1
$61.8฿2,035
-1.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿568
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$9.14฿301
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$703฿23.1K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$15.9K฿522.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$59.5฿1,958
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$35.07฿1,154
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$115฿3,795
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$84.1฿2,767
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,357$1,357
$619฿20.4K
119.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$433฿14.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,062฿67.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,511฿49.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,646฿120.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿86.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Frederiksted
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
5.33
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Frederiksted: June 6, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,357 in Frederiksted versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Frederiksted versus $47.00 in Phuket. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.
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
Frederiksted vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Frederiksted?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 253%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $535 per month in Frederiksted and $1,892 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 Frederiksted, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Frederiksted vs Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $357 in Frederiksted and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is eating out cheaper in Frederiksted or Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Frederiksted 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 Frederiksted or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Frederiksted, where all-in costs run around $357, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Frederiksted it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Frederiksted or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Frederiksted – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Frederiksted 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 Frederiksted. 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.
Frederiksted vs other spots: cost of living compared