Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,413 in London versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,451 in London versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,490 in London versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in London is roughly 96% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 76% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.91 CA$30.65

$4.41 ฿147

396.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 CA$90.1

$32.26 ฿1,077

99.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.45 CA$17.42

$8.93 ฿298

39.42%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.30

$2.90 ฿96.6

30.69%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$0.88 ฿29.38

152.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$0.48 ฿16.06

358.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 CA$8.87

$2.35 ฿78.5

169.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.17

$3.72 ฿124

76.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 CA$2.83

$1.87 ฿62.3

8.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$1.47 ฿48.94

76.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.66

$1.55 ฿51.8

161.29%

Eggs

$3.78 CA$5.28

$2.10 ฿70.1

80.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.23

$19.59 ฿654

-48.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 CA$16.55

$3.42 ฿114

245.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 CA$21.50

$11.38 ฿380

35.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.09

$2.98 ฿99.6

46.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.68 ฿56.2

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.50

$2.21 ฿73.7

77.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.74

$2.16 ฿72.1

89.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.39

$1.52 ฿50.9

106.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.44

$1.34 ฿44.67

136.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.51

$1.13 ฿37.67

122.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$0.55 ฿18.24

169.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 CA$16.86

$4.26 ฿142

182.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.34 CA$17.27

$19.09 ฿637

-35.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$1.78 ฿59.4

43.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.02

$2.78 ฿92.9

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 CA$3.31

$2.23 ฿74.4

6.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 CA$114

$22.74 ฿759

257.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$3.03 ฿101

-14.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 CA$2.31

$1.02 ฿34.15

61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.58 CA$31.59

$3.89 ฿130

480.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.49 ฿49.77

-17.45%

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

$28.1K CA$39.4K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

5.84%

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

$24.1K CA$33.7K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-10.97%

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

$139 CA$194

$102 ฿3,420

35.18%

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

$41.37 CA$57.9

$11.33 ฿378

265.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 CA$78.9

$17.40 ฿581

224.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 CA$53.4

$52.1 ฿1,738

-26.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.95 CA$40.50

$11.07 ฿370

161.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 CA$15.00

$7.69 ฿257

39.53%

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

$426 CA$596

$561 ฿18.7K

-24.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K CA$28.6K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

77.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$75.5

$63.0 ฿2,104

-14.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 CA$55.7

$29.52 ฿986

34.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CA$117

$98.0 ฿3,272

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 CA$127

$88.5 ฿2,954

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 CA$1,778

$738 ฿24.6K

72.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 CA$1,617

$482 ฿16.1K

139.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 CA$2,951

$2,107 ฿70.3K

0.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CA$2,375

$1,226 ฿40.9K

38.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,526 CA$4,932

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-2.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,696 CA$5,170

$2,603 ฿86.9K

41.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,971 CA$4,156

$494 ฿16.5K

501.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

5.57

-15.26%

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

Last update for London: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,271 in London and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 502% 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: $64.0 in London vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $274 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

London vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 502% higher in London, 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: $1,271 in London versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,413 per month in London versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 257% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,413 in London, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, London 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 96% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.