Cost of Living Comparison Between Midlands and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Midlands and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $613 per month in Midlands vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Midlands vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,457 per month in Midlands vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Midlands is about 50% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Midlands and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Midlands 55% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.96 MUR 283

$4.41 ฿147

35.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.62 MUR 1,787

$32.26 ฿1,073

16.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 MUR 343

$8.93 ฿297

-19.15%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MUR 125

$2.90 ฿96.3

-9.31%

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

$1.15 MUR 54.5

$0.88 ฿29.27

30.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MUR 28.97

$0.48 ฿16.00

27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MUR 127

$2.35 ฿78.2

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MUR 231

$3.72 ฿124

30.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MUR 76.4

$1.87 ฿62.0

-13.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MUR 35.26

$1.47 ฿48.75

-49.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MUR 54.5

$1.55 ฿51.6

-25.81%

Eggs

$2.58 MUR 122

$2.10 ฿69.9

22.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 MUR 247

$19.59 ฿651

-73.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 MUR 307

$3.42 ฿114

88.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 MUR 536

$11.38 ฿378

-0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MUR 136

$2.98 ฿99.2

-4.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 MUR 128

$1.68 ฿56.0

60.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 69.0

$2.21 ฿73.5

-34.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 MUR 140

$2.16 ฿71.9

36.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 45.33

$1.52 ฿50.7

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.89

$1.34 ฿44.49

-24.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MUR 32.97

$1.13 ฿37.53

-38.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MUR 41.18

$0.55 ฿18.17

58.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 MUR 309

$4.26 ฿142

52.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 MUR 392

$19.09 ฿635

-56.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MUR 78.1

$1.78 ฿59.2

-7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MUR 110

$2.78 ฿92.5

-16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 MUR 203

$3.03 ฿101

41.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 MUR 147

$1.02 ฿34.02

203.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.80 MUR 988

$3.89 ฿129

434.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MUR 64.1

$1.49 ฿49.57

-9.40%

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

$36.8K MUR 1.8M

$26.6K ฿883.8K

38.62%

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

$30.9K MUR 1.5M

$27.0K ฿898.7K

14.49%

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

$45.44 MUR 2,159

$102 ฿3,407

-55.66%

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

$10.65 MUR 506

$11.33 ฿377

-6.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.64 MUR 1,360

$17.40 ฿578

64.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 MUR 305

$7.69 ฿256

-16.64%

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

$127 MUR 6,018

$561 ฿18.6K

-77.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,573 MUR 359.7K

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-34.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 MUR 3,744

$63.0 ฿2,096

25.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 MUR 3,590

$29.52 ฿982

156.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MUR 5,700

$98.0 ฿3,259

22.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 MUR 3,645

$88.5 ฿2,943

-13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.57

19.75%

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

Last update for Midlands: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Midlands versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Midlands vs $274 in Phuket – so Midlands wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Midlands vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 101% more than Midlands, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $920 per month in Midlands and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $613 in Midlands and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $127 per month in Midlands and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Midlands, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Midlands it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Midlands costs $613 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Midlands. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.