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: $2,426 in London versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,539 in London versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,652 in London versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in London is roughly 92% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 80% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.84

$4.56 ฿149

305.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 CA$105

$46.63 ฿1,519

60.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 CA$14.25

$8.47 ฿276

20.43%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.97

$3.03 ฿98.6

17.49%

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

$1.97 CA$2.75

$0.69 ฿22.45

185.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$0.37 ฿11.92

427.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.26

$2.49 ฿81.0

137.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.99

$3.66 ฿119

75.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$2.18 ฿71.0

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$1.90 ฿62.0

21.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.66

$2.20 ฿71.6

51.82%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.57

$2.22 ฿72.4

47.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 CA$14.02

$19.99 ฿651

-49.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.20 CA$17.04

$3.66 ฿119

233.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 CA$12.91

$13.25 ฿432

-30.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.36

$3.23 ฿105

40.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.70 ฿55.3

-15.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.97

$2.39 ฿78.0

48.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.36

$2.08 ฿67.7

84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.27

$1.59 ฿51.8

1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$1.48 ฿48.31

37.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 CA$3.00

$1.03 ฿33.54

108.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$0.52 ฿16.83

176.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 CA$17.30

$4.25 ฿138

191.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 CA$17.78

$18.79 ฿612

-32.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CA$2.89

$1.76 ฿57.2

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$2.76 ฿89.8

-10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.43

$1.36 ฿44.32

80.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 CA$114

$11.36 ฿370

617.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 CA$5.73

$3.14 ฿102

30.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.04 ฿33.74

65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 CA$43.74

$13.77 ฿448

127.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.34 ฿43.79

-14.18%

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

$25.3K CA$35.3K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-8.58%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-38.93%

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

$145 CA$202

$124 ฿4,025

17.05%

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

$47.41 CA$66.2

$13.52 ฿440

250.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CA$81.8

$18.69 ฿609

213.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 CA$58.1

$61.8 ฿2,013

-32.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 CA$10.45

$17.25 ฿562

-56.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 CA$15.08

$9.14 ฿298

18.16%

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

$559 CA$780

$703 ฿22.9K

-20.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K CA$19.7K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-11.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 CA$77.9

$59.5 ฿1,937

-6.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.09 CA$64.4

$35.07 ฿1,142

31.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 CA$119

$115 ฿3,754

-25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 CA$114

$84.1 ฿2,737

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,010

$619 ฿20.1K

132.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,827

$433 ฿14.1K

202.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 CA$3,673

$2,062 ฿67.2K

27.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,761

$1,511 ฿49.2K

30.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,512 CA$4,904

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-3.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,605 CA$5,035

$2,626 ฿85.5K

37.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 CA$4,268

$507 ฿16.5K

502.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.33

16.51%

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

Last update for London: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,439 in London and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 503% 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: $75.0 in London vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $293 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 503% more on average, 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: $1,439 in London versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,426 per month in London versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 618% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,426 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 92% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.