😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,429 in Grand Turk versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,943 in Grand Turk versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,457 in Grand Turk versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Grand Turk is roughly 14% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Grand Turk is 7% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.23$20.23
$4.55฿153
344.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$46.18฿1,553
-
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.96$14.96
$8.84฿297
69.23%
Cappuccino
-
$3.06฿103
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03$2.03
$0.73฿24.40
178.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56$2.56
$0.40฿13.39
540.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.12$12.12
$2.43฿81.8
398.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$14.82$14.82
$3.78฿127
292.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$6.14$6.14
$2.26฿76.0
171.68%
White Bread(500g)
$3.93$3.93
$1.81฿60.9
117.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$2.25฿75.8
-
Eggs
-
$2.25฿75.5
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
-
$19.51฿656
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
-
$3.65฿123
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$13.05฿439
-
Apples(1kg)
-
$3.23฿109
-
Banana(1kg)
-
$1.62฿54.4
-
Oranges(1kg)
-
$2.38฿80.1
-
Tomato(1kg)
$6.55$6.55
$2.03฿68.1
222.66%
Potato(1kg)
-
$1.53฿51.6
-
Onion(1kg)
-
$1.50฿50.5
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.63$4.63
$0.98฿32.91
372.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71$1.71
$0.52฿17.39
228.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.44฿149
-
Wine(Bottle)
-
$18.32฿616
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.86฿62.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.68฿90.1
-
🚌 Getting Around
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.41฿47.46
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿393
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.11฿105
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.04฿35.06
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$14.11฿474
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.94$1.94
$1.31฿44.10
48.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$27.8K฿935.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.2K฿1.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$200$200
$122฿4,118
63.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.59฿457
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.9$87.9
$18.70฿629
370.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.5฿2,034
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98฿571
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$9.07฿305
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$706฿23.8K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,000$3,000
$15.8K฿531.5K
-81.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$58.6฿1,969
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$35.36฿1,189
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$115฿3,883
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$83.7฿2,816
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$762$762
$626฿21.0K
21.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$657$657
$445฿15.0K
47.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,525$1,525
$2,040฿68.6K
-25.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,216$1,216
$1,492฿50.2K
-18.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,483฿117.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,577฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grand Turk
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,828$6,828
$500฿16.8K
1266.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
5.33
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Grand Turk: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $762 in Grand Turk and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Grand Turk pays 1266% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
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
Grand Turk vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Grand Turk and in Phuket?
Grand Turk and Phuket differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,429 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Grand Turk or Phuket?
Average pay runs 1266% higher in Grand Turk, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Grand Turk and in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $762 in Grand Turk versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Grand Turk pay roughly 68% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Grand Turk or Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,429 per month in Grand Turk versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,429 in Grand Turk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Grand Turk. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Grand Turk and Phuket?
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.
Is Grand Turk or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Grand Turk 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.
Where should expats move: Grand Turk or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Grand Turk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Grand Turk vs other spots: cost of living compared