Cost of Living Comparison Between Freeport and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Freeport and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Freeport versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,560 in Freeport versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,767 in Freeport versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Freeport is roughly 86% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freeport is 77% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.27 BSD 22.27

$4.48 ฿150

397.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 BSD 98.0

$45.59 ฿1,521

114.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 BSD 11.89

$8.76 ฿292

35.73%

Cappuccino

$5.37 BSD 5.37

$2.97 ฿99.0

80.81%

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

$2.27 BSD 2.27

$0.69 ฿22.90

228.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 BSD 1.65

$0.39 ฿13.04

323.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.55 BSD 4.55

$2.53 ฿84.4

79.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 BSD 7.96

$3.75 ฿125

112.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 BSD 1.79

$2.15 ฿71.6

-16.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 BSD 3.88

$1.82 ฿60.6

113.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 BSD 5.38

$2.18 ฿72.9

146.79%

Eggs

$8.09 BSD 8.09

$2.25 ฿75.0

259.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 BSD 8.95

$20.00 ฿667

-55.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 BSD 2.90

$1.64 ฿54.6

76.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 BSD 6.51

$2.07 ฿69.1

214.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 BSD 2.15

$1.46 ฿48.54

47.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.29 BSD 3.29

$0.98 ฿32.86

235.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 BSD 1.89

$0.48 ฿16.09

293.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$19.81 BSD 19.81

$18.57 ฿620

6.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.24 BSD 4.24

$1.86 ฿61.9

127.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 BSD 1.53

$1.42 ฿47.28

7.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 BSD 3.04

$3.17 ฿106

-4.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BSD 1.52

$1.34 ฿44.84

13.43%

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)

$35.7K BSD 35.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

6.92%

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

$119 BSD 119

$123 ฿4,105

-3.41%

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

$39.22 BSD 39.22

$13.77 ฿459

184.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 BSD 63.2

$18.33 ฿611

244.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 BSD 47.24

$60.7 ฿2,025

-22.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$376 BSD 376

$688 ฿22.9K

-45.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,864 BSD 7,864

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-50.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.83 BSD 46.83

$59.3 ฿1,978

-21.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.08 BSD 25.08

$34.69 ฿1,157

-27.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 BSD 95.9

$115 ฿3,843

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 BSD 81.1

$83.8 ฿2,794

-3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 BSD 1,166

$621 ฿20.7K

87.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 BSD 1,311

$446 ฿14.9K

194.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,124 BSD 2,124

$2,034 ฿67.8K

4.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 BSD 2,430

$1,496 ฿49.9K

62.43%

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)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

5.33

94.75%

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

Last update for Freeport: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,166 in Freeport and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Freeport vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $291, with Freeport cheaper for home cooking.

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

Freeport vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Freeport and Phuket differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($2,352 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,529 in Freeport and $1,896 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,166 in Freeport versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $376 in Freeport versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $98.0 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,352 in Freeport, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Freeport. 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, Freeport 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 86% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.