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: $4,824 in George Town versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,348 in George Town versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,872 in George Town versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in George Town is roughly 285% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 251% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.84 KYD 24.47

$4.56 ฿151

554.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 KYD 94.6

$32.62 ฿1,082

253.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 KYD 13.57

$8.90 ฿295

85.84%

Cappuccino

$7.07 KYD 5.80

$2.80 ฿93.0

152.50%

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

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$0.88 ฿29.19

246.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KYD 2.28

$0.49 ฿16.23

469.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 KYD 5.96

$2.39 ฿79.2

204.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.69 KYD 7.94

$3.71 ฿123

161.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.64 KYD 3.80

$1.79 ฿59.3

159.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 KYD 3.55

$1.44 ฿47.81

200.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 KYD 3.60

$1.58 ฿52.6

177.85%

Eggs

$7.46 KYD 6.12

$2.13 ฿70.5

250.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$55.0 KYD 45.06

$19.92 ฿661

175.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.25 KYD 15.79

$3.43 ฿114

461.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.72 KYD 16.17

$11.33 ฿376

74.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 KYD 6.08

$2.95 ฿97.8

151.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.68 KYD 3.02

$1.72 ฿57.1

113.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.09 KYD 4.99

$2.32 ฿77.1

162.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.88 KYD 6.46

$2.08 ฿69.0

278.85%

Potato (1kg)

$4.14 KYD 3.39

$1.47 ฿48.77

181.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 KYD 3.26

$1.36 ฿45.05

192.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 KYD 2.62

$1.10 ฿36.45

190.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 KYD 1.78

$0.57 ฿19.06

280.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 KYD 11.83

$4.27 ฿142

237.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.24 KYD 20.69

$18.42 ฿611

37.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 KYD 3.40

$1.87 ฿62.1

121.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 KYD 4.66

$2.92 ฿96.9

94.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 KYD 1.91

$2.22 ฿73.6

4.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 KYD 66.9

$22.90 ฿759

256.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.57 KYD 15.23

$3.03 ฿101

512.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 KYD 3.19

$1.07 ฿35.63

263.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.79 KYD 36.73

$3.93 ฿130

1039.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 KYD 1.35

$1.49 ฿49.49

10.07%

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

$42.5K KYD 34.8K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

56.50%

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

$42.3K KYD 34.7K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

54.07%

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

$458 KYD 376

$103 ฿3,410

345.63%

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

$120 KYD 98.5

$10.99 ฿365

993.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$115 KYD 94.1

$17.51 ฿581

555.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$219 KYD 179

$53.5 ฿1,776

308.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 KYD 29.01

$11.20 ฿371

215.89%

Cinema Ticket

$18.45 KYD 15.13

$7.48 ฿248

146.66%

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

$1,832 KYD 1,502

$557 ฿18.5K

228.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K KYD 21.7K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

123.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 KYD 69.6

$64.1 ฿2,125

32.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.9 KYD 60.6

$29.07 ฿964

154.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 KYD 112

$96.0 ฿3,183

42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 KYD 117

$90.3 ฿2,997

58.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 KYD 2,385

$730 ฿24.2K

298.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,443 KYD 2,003

$500 ฿16.6K

388.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,779 KYD 4,739

$2,090 ฿69.3K

176.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,770 KYD 3,911

$1,209 ฿40.1K

294.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,648 KYD 7,092

$3,596 ฿119.3K

140.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 KYD 1,892

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-8.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,390 KYD 6,060

$503 ฿16.7K

1368.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

43.63%

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

Last update for George Town: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,909 in George Town and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1368% 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: $115 in George Town vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $722 vs $273 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 285% in total monthly costs ($4,824 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1368% higher in George Town, 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: $2,909 in George Town versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,824 per month in George Town versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 285% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 256% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $4,824 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 285% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.