🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $670 in New Cairo versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,017 in New Cairo versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,364 in New Cairo versus $3,329 in Phuket.
🙂Living in New Cairo costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: New Cairo50% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.90E£202
$4.70฿153
-17.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.06E£1,039
$45.37฿1,482
-55.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.02E£260
$8.43฿275
-40.45%
Cappuccino
$1.56E£80.7
$2.93฿95.6
-46.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34E£17.40
$0.69฿22.40
-50.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13E£6.73
$0.37฿11.99
-64.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.41E£73.1
$2.41฿78.6
-41.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71E£140
$3.72฿122
-27.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.88E£45.54
$2.23฿72.9
-60.54%
White Bread(500g)
$0.60E£30.86
$1.83฿59.8
-67.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.68E£35.43
$2.17฿70.8
-68.66%
Eggs
$1.52E£78.7
$2.21฿72.3
-31.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.89E£202
$19.74฿645
-80.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.35E£226
$3.63฿119
19.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.01E£467
$13.53฿442
-33.41%
Apples(1kg)
$1.51E£78.3
$3.28฿107
-53.96%
Banana(1kg)
$0.57E£29.38
$1.61฿52.6
-64.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.51E£26.60
$2.41฿78.6
-78.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.39E£20.11
$2.08฿68.1
-81.25%
Potato(1kg)
$0.50E£25.68
$1.53฿49.93
-67.32%
Onion(1kg)
$0.44E£22.71
$1.48฿48.36
-70.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.22E£11.35
$0.99฿32.29
-77.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20E£10.24
$0.51฿16.67
-60.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.94E£101
$4.41฿144
-56.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.71E£451
$19.38฿633
-55.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30E£67.3
$1.78฿58.1
-26.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85E£95.6
$2.71฿88.6
-31.73%
🚌 Getting Around
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.23E£11.69
$1.37฿44.79
-83.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.42E£21.73
$3.02฿98.6
-86.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31E£16.07
$0.99฿32.48
-68.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.96E£102
$14.10฿461
-86.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.30E£15.76
$1.36฿44.51
-77.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7KE£1.8M
$28.2K฿921.1K
26.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5KE£1.7M
$32.9K฿1.1M
1.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$25.29E£1,310
$122฿3,975
-79.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.10E£368
$13.57฿443
-47.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.26E£583
$18.31฿598
-38.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$24.90E£1,290
$60.2฿1,967
-58.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.73E£349
$17.14฿560
-60.74%
Cinema Ticket
$3.51E£182
$8.69฿284
-59.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$91.8E£4,756
$693฿22.6K
-86.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,994E£103.3K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-87.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.73E£1,644
$59.5฿1,944
-46.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.38E£2,558
$34.77฿1,136
42.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107E£5,535
$115฿3,743
-6.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.2E£2,598
$83.3฿2,720
-39.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$337E£17.5K
$613฿20.0K
-44.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$286E£14.8K
$437฿14.3K
-34.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$505E£26.1K
$2,094฿68.4K
-75.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$422E£21.8K
$1,509฿49.3K
-72.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,211E£62.7K
$3,749฿122.5K
-67.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$676E£35.0K
$2,616฿85.4K
-74.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New Cairo
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$191E£9,896
$508฿16.6K
-62.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.67
5.33
212.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for New Cairo: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in New Cairo and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 166% 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: $20.00 in New Cairo vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $293 per month, with New Cairo 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
New Cairo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, New Cairo or Phuket?
New Cairo wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making New Cairo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in New Cairo or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 166% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in New Cairo vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $337 in New Cairo versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in New Cairo or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in New Cairo compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $670 per month in New Cairo versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in New Cairo or Phuket?
At $670 in New Cairo versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in New Cairo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes New Cairo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, New Cairo or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but New Cairo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $670 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes New Cairo hard to pass up.
How safe is New Cairo compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, New Cairo 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find New Cairo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.