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: $4,618 in George Town versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,071 in George Town versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,524 in George Town versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in George Town is roughly 269% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 246% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.65 KYD 25.13

$4.55 ฿153

573.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$46.18 ฿1,550

211.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 KYD 13.07

$8.84 ฿297

80.32%

Cappuccino

$6.90 KYD 5.65

$3.06 ฿103

125.49%

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

$3.36 KYD 2.76

$0.73 ฿24.36

360.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$0.40 ฿13.37

580.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 KYD 7.60

$2.43 ฿81.6

281.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 KYD 6.71

$3.78 ฿127

116.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 KYD 2.48

$2.26 ฿75.8

33.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$1.81 ฿60.8

192.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.75 KYD 4.72

$2.25 ฿75.7

155.56%

Eggs

$9.84 KYD 8.07

$2.25 ฿75.4

337.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KYD 9.60

$19.51 ฿655

-39.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.01 KYD 13.13

$3.65 ฿122

338.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 KYD 13.32

$13.05 ฿438

24.44%

Apples (1kg)

$10.67 KYD 8.75

$3.23 ฿109

230.34%

Banana (1kg)

$4.66 KYD 3.82

$1.62 ฿54.3

187.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 KYD 6.49

$2.38 ฿80.0

232.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.64 KYD 6.27

$2.03 ฿68.0

276.35%

Potato (1kg)

$5.34 KYD 4.38

$1.53 ฿51.5

249.02%

Onion (1kg)

$5.50 KYD 4.51

$1.50 ฿50.4

266.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.09 KYD 5.00

$0.98 ฿32.85

521.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 KYD 2.46

$0.52 ฿17.36

476.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 KYD 11.98

$4.44 ฿149

229.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.67 KYD 21.05

$18.32 ฿615

40.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 KYD 3.21

$1.86 ฿62.6

110.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 KYD 4.23

$2.68 ฿90.0

92.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 KYD 2.01

$1.41 ฿47.37

73.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.28 KYD 24.83

$11.70 ฿393

158.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 KYD 14.99

$3.11 ฿104

487.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.82 KYD 3.95

$1.04 ฿35.00

363.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 KYD 48.69

$14.11 ฿474

320.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 KYD 1.40

$1.31 ฿44.02

30.53%

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

$39.2K KYD 32.1K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

40.89%

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

$34.0K KYD 27.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

2.41%

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

$385 KYD 316

$122 ฿4,110

214.73%

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

$97.8 KYD 80.2

$13.59 ฿456

619.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 KYD 90.4

$18.70 ฿628

489.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 KYD 86.9

$60.5 ฿2,031

75.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.38 KYD 33.11

$16.98 ฿570

137.81%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 KYD 14.90

$9.07 ฿305

100.33%

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

$1,744 KYD 1,430

$706 ฿23.7K

146.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K KYD 19.9K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

53.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 KYD 75.2

$58.6 ฿1,965

56.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 KYD 58.1

$35.36 ฿1,187

100.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 KYD 121

$115 ฿3,876

27.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$83.7 ฿2,811

77.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 KYD 2,301

$626 ฿21.0K

348.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 KYD 2,038

$445 ฿14.9K

458.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,558 KYD 4,557

$2,040 ฿68.5K

172.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,697 KYD 3,851

$1,492 ฿50.1K

214.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,809 KYD 7,223

$3,483 ฿116.9K

152.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 KYD 1,889

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-10.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,125 KYD 5,842

$500 ฿16.8K

1325.43%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,806 in George Town and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1325% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $629 vs $289 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 269% in total monthly costs ($4,618 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1325% 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: $2,806 in George Town versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,618 per month in George Town versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 269% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 159% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $4,618 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 269% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.