Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,931 per month in Freetown vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,686 per month in Freetown vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,441 per month in Freetown vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Freetown costs about 57% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Freetown sits 44% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 SLL 73.5K

$4.63 ฿151

-35.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.92 SLL 790.3K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-31.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 SLL 244.2K

$8.84 ฿287

11.54%

Cappuccino

$1.75 SLL 43.4K

$3.00 ฿97.4

-41.67%

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

$1.00 SLL 24.8K

$0.74 ฿24.11

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 SLL 22.5K

$0.37 ฿11.88

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 SLL 38.1K

$2.44 ฿79.3

-36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 SLL 68.7K

$3.61 ฿117

-22.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 SLL 61.1K

$2.26 ฿73.5

9.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 SLL 16.9K

$1.84 ฿59.8

-63.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 SLL 33.6K

$2.24 ฿73.0

-39.29%

Eggs

$1.97 SLL 48.7K

$2.32 ฿75.3

-15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SLL 174.3K

$19.67 ฿639

-64.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 SLL 187.6K

$3.65 ฿119

107.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 SLL 126.9K

$13.10 ฿426

-60.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 SLL 101.7K

$3.39 ฿110

21.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 50.0K

$1.64 ฿53.4

23.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 SLL 18.2K

$2.41 ฿78.5

-69.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SLL 123.4K

$2.03 ฿66.0

145.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 50.1K

$1.56 ฿50.6

29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SLL 41.1K

$1.50 ฿48.66

10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 SLL 25.0K

$1.02 ฿33.30

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SLL 35.1K

$0.49 ฿15.91

189.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 SLL 73.2K

$4.45 ฿145

-33.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 SLL 191.2K

$18.88 ฿614

-59.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 SLL 27.8K

$1.78 ฿57.7

-37.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SLL 49.5K

$2.75 ฿89.5

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 SLL 11.0K

$1.40 ฿45.54

-68.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 SLL 18.2K

$3.12 ฿101

-76.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 SLL 30.6K

$1.00 ฿32.48

24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 SLL 125.2K

$14.09 ฿458

-64.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 SLL 32.7K

$1.35 ฿43.93

-2.22%

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

$11.9K SLL 293.6M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-56.38%

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

$24.7K SLL 611.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.95%

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

$143 SLL 3.5M

$125 ฿4,063

14.27%

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

$10.13 SLL 250.8K

$13.57 ฿441

-25.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.4 SLL 2.5M

$18.52 ฿602

436.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 SLL 1.3M

$61.5 ฿1,999

-17.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

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

$698 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.96 SLL 246.7K

$57.8 ฿1,878

-82.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.03 SLL 198.9K

$35.24 ฿1,146

-77.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.25 SLL 501.4K

$113 ฿3,677

-82.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 SLL 1.2M

$86.4 ฿2,808

-41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 SLL 20.0M

$616 ฿20.0K

30.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 SLL 30.9M

$446 ฿14.5K

179.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 SLL 53.1M

$2,048 ฿66.6K

4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 SLL 2.4M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-93.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,044 SLL 75.4M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-19.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 SLL 43.1M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-34.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 SLL 27.8M

$524 ฿17.0K

114.34%

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 Freetown: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $807 in Freetown 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 114% higher in Freetown, 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 $32.00 in Freetown versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $292 – making Freetown the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Freetown vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,931 in Freetown, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 57% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,896 per month in Freetown 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Freetown and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,931 in Freetown and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Freetown at $1,931. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $1,931 in Freetown. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Freetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.