😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,489 in Old Bridge versus $1,270 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,684 in Old Bridge versus $2,304 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,879 in Old Bridge versus $3,339 in Phuket.
😐Living in Old Bridge is roughly 96% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Old Bridge is 86% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.76$16.76
$4.66฿150
259.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.1$66.1
$46.44฿1,496
42.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.84$7.84
$8.68฿280
-9.68%
Cappuccino
$2.93$2.93
$2.95฿95.0
-0.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72$2.72
$0.70฿22.52
288.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08$2.08
$0.39฿12.70
433.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.08$3.08
$2.53฿81.6
21.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44$3.44
$3.78฿122
-8.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.51$1.51
$2.22฿71.5
-31.98%
White Bread(500g)
$4.69$4.69
$1.80฿57.8
160.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$6.54$6.54
$2.19฿70.4
198.63%
Eggs
$5.54$5.54
$2.31฿74.5
139.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.05$14.05
$19.34฿623
-27.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.35$12.35
$3.77฿121
227.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.04$15.04
$13.22฿426
13.77%
Apples(1kg)
$6.15$6.15
$3.33฿107
84.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63$1.63
$1.65฿53.1
-1.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.63$5.63
$2.29฿73.7
145.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.28$6.28
$1.99฿64.1
215.58%
Potato(1kg)
$2.89$2.89
$1.53฿49.24
88.89%
Onion(1kg)
$5.01$5.01
$1.51฿48.77
231.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.74$2.74
$1.03฿33.12
166.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.37$2.37
$0.51฿16.57
364.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.92$14.92
$4.41฿142
238.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.02$15.02
$19.41฿625
-22.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48$2.48
$1.80฿58.0
37.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57$3.57
$2.68฿86.4
33.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.05$2.05
$1.43฿46.11
43.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03$3.03
$3.04฿97.9
-0.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.10$2.10
$1.04฿33.37
101.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.22$42.22
$13.68฿441
208.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.91$0.91
$1.30฿41.85
-30.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K$25.4K
$27.9K฿898.9K
-8.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K$24.3K
$33.0K฿1.1M
-26.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$159$159
$123฿3,962
29.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.95$29.95
$13.82฿445
116.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.72$45.72
$18.86฿608
142.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.29$42.29
$61.2฿1,970
-30.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81฿541
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.80$19.80
$8.87฿286
123.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,915$1,915
$696฿22.4K
174.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.5K$14.5K
$16.1K฿517.4K
-9.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.67$31.67
$59.3฿1,910
-46.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.4$60.4
$34.85฿1,123
73.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.8$70.8
$113฿3,646
-37.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.2$99.2
$85.1฿2,740
16.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,574$1,574
$615฿19.8K
155.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,343$1,343
$448฿14.4K
199.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,676$2,676
$2,085฿67.2K
28.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,212$2,212
$1,496฿48.2K
47.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,721$2,721
$3,734฿120.3K
-27.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,372$2,372
$2,662฿85.8K
-10.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Old Bridge
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,053$3,053
$534฿17.2K
472.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.51
5.33
22.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Old Bridge: April 19, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,574 in Old Bridge and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Old Bridge pays 472% 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: $66 in Old Bridge vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $461 vs $291 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
Old Bridge vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Old Bridge?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Old Bridge or Phuket?
Old Bridge pays 472% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Old Bridge and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,574 in Old Bridge versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,915 in Old Bridge versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Old Bridge or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $66.0 in Old Bridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Old Bridge or Phuket?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,489 in Old Bridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Old Bridge. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Old Bridge or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Old Bridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Old Bridge or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Old Bridge 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Old Bridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Old Bridge vs other spots: cost of living compared