Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,602 in George Town versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,054 in George Town versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,505 in George Town versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in George Town is roughly 264% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 243% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.62 KYD 25.11

$4.70 ฿153

551.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$45.37 ฿1,482

217.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.85 KYD 13.00

$8.43 ฿275

88.02%

Cappuccino

$6.91 KYD 5.66

$2.93 ฿95.6

135.84%

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

$3.52 KYD 2.88

$0.69 ฿22.40

410.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$0.37 ฿11.99

635.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 KYD 7.42

$2.41 ฿78.6

275.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.60 KYD 7.05

$3.72 ฿122

131.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$2.23 ฿72.9

36.77%

White Bread (500g)

$5.26 KYD 4.32

$1.83 ฿59.8

187.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.83 KYD 4.78

$2.17 ฿70.8

168.66%

Eggs

$9.98 KYD 8.19

$2.21 ฿72.3

351.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 KYD 9.70

$19.74 ฿645

-40.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.84 KYD 12.99

$3.63 ฿119

336.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 KYD 13.37

$13.53 ฿442

20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$10.46 KYD 8.58

$3.28 ฿107

218.90%

Banana (1kg)

$4.55 KYD 3.73

$1.61 ฿52.6

182.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.82 KYD 6.41

$2.41 ฿78.6

224.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.78 KYD 6.38

$2.08 ฿68.1

274.04%

Potato (1kg)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$1.53 ฿49.93

246.41%

Onion (1kg)

$5.41 KYD 4.44

$1.48 ฿48.36

265.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.37 KYD 5.22

$0.99 ฿32.29

543.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 KYD 2.39

$0.51 ฿16.67

472.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.42 KYD 11.82

$4.41 ฿144

226.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.05 KYD 20.54

$19.38 ฿633

29.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 KYD 3.30

$1.78 ฿58.1

126.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 KYD 4.25

$2.71 ฿88.6

91.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 KYD 1.96

$1.37 ฿44.79

74.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.50 KYD 25.01

$11.39 ฿372

167.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.37 KYD 15.06

$3.02 ฿98.6

508.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.89 KYD 4.01

$0.99 ฿32.48

393.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 KYD 49.65

$14.10 ฿461

329.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 KYD 1.44

$1.36 ฿44.51

29.41%

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

$39.3K KYD 32.2K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

39.38%

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

$33.7K KYD 27.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

2.45%

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

$398 KYD 326

$122 ฿3,975

226.80%

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

$97.7 KYD 80.1

$13.57 ฿443

619.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 KYD 89.0

$18.31 ฿598

492.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 KYD 86.0

$60.2 ฿1,967

74.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.53 KYD 33.24

$17.14 ฿560

136.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 KYD 14.55

$8.69 ฿284

104.14%

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

$1,747 KYD 1,433

$693 ฿22.6K

152.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K KYD 20.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

59.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 KYD 75.2

$59.5 ฿1,944

54.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.9 KYD 59.0

$34.77 ฿1,136

106.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 KYD 123

$115 ฿3,743

30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$83.3 ฿2,720

78.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 KYD 2,328

$613 ฿20.0K

362.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 KYD 2,072

$437 ฿14.3K

478.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,662 KYD 4,643

$2,094 ฿68.4K

170.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,683 KYD 3,840

$1,509 ฿49.3K

210.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,623 KYD 7,071

$3,749 ฿122.5K

129.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,256 KYD 1,850

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-13.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,737 KYD 6,344

$508 ฿16.6K

1422.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

5.33

54.78%

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

Last update for George Town: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,839 in George Town and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1423% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $144 in George Town vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $628 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

George Town vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town and Phuket differ by about 264% in total monthly costs ($4,602 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

George Town pays 1423% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,839 in George Town versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,602 per month in George Town versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 264% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 168% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,602 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in George Town. 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, George Town 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 264% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.