😐A single person spends $1,637 per month in Georgetown vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,760 per month in Georgetown vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,884 per month in Georgetown vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Georgetown costs about 31% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Georgetown sits 19% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.79GYD 3,699
$4.56฿151
290.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6GYD 14.7K
$32.62฿1,082
116.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.56GYD 1,988
$8.90฿295
7.42%
Cappuccino
$5.74GYD 1,194
$2.80฿93.0
105.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22GYD 254
$0.88฿29.19
38.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62GYD 128
$0.49฿16.23
26.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.88GYD 391
$2.39฿79.2
-21.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43GYD 713
$3.71฿123
-7.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.31GYD 688
$1.79฿59.3
84.92%
White Bread(500g)
$2.14GYD 444
$1.44฿47.81
48.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.00GYD 415
$1.58฿52.6
26.58%
Eggs
$4.18GYD 869
$2.13฿70.5
96.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.60GYD 3,245
$19.92฿661
-21.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.14GYD 1,485
$3.43฿114
108.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.13GYD 1,899
$11.33฿376
-19.42%
Apples(1kg)
$8.09GYD 1,682
$2.95฿97.8
174.24%
Banana(1kg)
$3.94GYD 820
$1.72฿57.1
129.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.95GYD 821
$2.32฿77.1
70.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.00GYD 1,457
$2.08฿69.0
236.54%
Potato(1kg)
$2.44GYD 508
$1.47฿48.77
65.99%
Onion(1kg)
$3.10GYD 645
$1.36฿45.05
127.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.04GYD 632
$1.10฿36.45
176.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.68GYD 349
$0.57฿19.06
194.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.42GYD 712
$4.27฿142
-19.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.81GYD 3,496
$18.42฿611
-8.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84GYD 383
$1.87฿62.1
-1.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62GYD 546
$2.92฿96.9
-10.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.55GYD 115
$2.22฿73.6
-75.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$61.0GYD 12.7K
$22.90฿759
166.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.36GYD 906
$3.03฿101
43.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.33GYD 484
$1.07฿35.63
117.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.98GYD 2,491
$3.93฿130
204.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.02GYD 212
$1.49฿49.49
-31.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6KGYD 5.7M
$27.1K฿899.8K
1.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8KGYD 4.7M
$27.5K฿910.6K
-16.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122GYD 25.4K
$103฿3,410
18.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.33GYD 4,435
$10.99฿365
94.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.92GYD 9,133
$17.51฿581
150.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.59GYD 8,026
$53.5฿1,776
-27.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.11GYD 3,142
$11.20฿371
34.91%
Cinema Ticket
$6.34GYD 1,319
$7.48฿248
-15.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,015GYD 211.2K
$557฿18.5K
82.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.0KGYD 4.0M
$11.9K฿393.2K
60.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.78GYD 7,858
$64.1฿2,125
-41.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.31GYD 8,591
$29.07฿964
42.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$136GYD 28.3K
$96.0฿3,183
42.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5GYD 18.0K
$90.3฿2,997
-4.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$954GYD 198.4K
$730฿24.2K
30.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$514GYD 106.9K
$500฿16.6K
2.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,290GYD 684.2K
$2,090฿69.3K
57.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,312GYD 272.8K
$1,209฿40.1K
8.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,628GYD 754.6K
$3,596฿119.3K
0.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,559GYD 324.2K
$2,512฿83.3K
-37.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Georgetown
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$515GYD 107.2K
$503฿16.7K
2.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.94
5.57
24.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Georgetown: August 29, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $954 in Georgetown versus $730 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 2% higher in Georgetown, 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 $71.0 in Georgetown versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $273 – making Phuket 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
Georgetown vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Georgetown or Phuket?
Georgetown costs about 31% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Georgetown and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,455 per month in Georgetown and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Georgetown or Phuket?
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.
How expensive is transport in Georgetown compared to Phuket?
Public transport costs about 167% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Georgetown and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $1,015 per month in Georgetown and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Georgetown or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Georgetown at $1,637. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Georgetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Georgetown or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,253 versus $1,637 in Georgetown. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Georgetown compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Georgetown or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Georgetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Georgetown vs other spots: cost of living compared