Cost of Living Comparison Between Newtown and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Newtown and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
😐A single person spends $2,168 per month in Newtown vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,125 per month in Newtown vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,083 per month in Newtown vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Newtown costs about 71% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Newtown sits 62% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.42£10.00
$4.70฿153
185.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4£50.9
$45.37฿1,482
50.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.49£7.82
$8.43฿275
24.44%
Cappuccino
$4.96£3.70
$2.93฿95.6
69.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76£2.06
$0.69฿22.40
300.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77£1.32
$0.37฿11.99
378.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.98£5.20
$2.41฿78.6
189.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.90£5.14
$3.72฿122
85.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.52£1.13
$2.23฿72.9
-31.84%
White Bread(500g)
$1.67£1.25
$1.83฿59.8
-8.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.96£1.46
$2.17฿70.8
-9.68%
Eggs
$3.86£2.87
$2.21฿72.3
74.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.98£6.69
$19.74฿645
-54.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.32£6.95
$3.63฿119
156.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.60£7.90
$13.53฿442
-21.66%
Apples(1kg)
$2.92£2.18
$3.28฿107
-10.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61£1.20
$1.61฿52.6
-
Oranges(1kg)
$2.56£1.91
$2.41฿78.6
6.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.72£3.51
$2.08฿68.1
126.92%
Potato(1kg)
$1.76£1.31
$1.53฿49.93
15.03%
Onion(1kg)
$1.57£1.17
$1.48฿48.36
6.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37£1.02
$0.99฿32.29
38.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34£1.00
$0.51฿16.67
162.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$18.83£14.03
$4.41฿144
326.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.14£9.04
$19.38฿633
-37.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.16£3.10
$1.78฿58.1
133.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92£2.92
$2.71฿88.6
44.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.47£2.58
$1.37฿44.79
153.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$88.8£66.1
$11.39฿372
679.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.67£3.48
$3.02฿98.6
54.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.45£1.82
$0.99฿32.48
147.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.56£14.57
$14.10฿461
38.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89£1.41
$1.36฿44.51
38.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.3K£18.9K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-10.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.9K£31.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
27.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$201£150
$122฿3,975
65.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.10£11.99
$13.57฿443
18.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.97£34.25
$18.31฿598
151.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.15£33.64
$60.2฿1,967
-25.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.35£9.20
$8.69฿284
42.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,621£1,207
$693฿22.6K
133.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K£11.0K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-5.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.3£44.91
$59.5฿1,944
1.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77£28.88
$34.77฿1,136
11.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.8£53.5
$115฿3,743
-37.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1£64.9
$83.3฿2,720
4.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,233£919
$613฿20.0K
101.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$988£736
$437฿14.3K
125.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,064£1,538
$2,094฿68.4K
-1.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,667£1,242
$1,509฿49.3K
10.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,362£3,994
$3,749฿122.5K
43.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Newtown
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.9
5.33
10.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Newtown: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,233 in Newtown versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Newtown versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Newtown vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Newtown?
Yes – Newtown is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,252 per month in Newtown and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Newtown or Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Newtown and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Newtown vs Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,168 in Newtown and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Newtown or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Newtown at $2,168. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Newtown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Newtown or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Newtown or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Newtown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.