🙂A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,329 in Aberdeen, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $3,684 in Aberdeen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $5,038 in Aberdeen, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 47% cheaper than Aberdeen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Aberdeen is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$20.55£15.35
-78.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,074
$99.7£74.5
-67.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$10.96£8.18
-18.52%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.4
$4.93£3.68
-41.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.30
$2.65£1.98
-66.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$2.00£1.49
-76.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.3
$7.06£5.27
-66.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$7.20£5.38
-48.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.53£1.14
22.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.81
$1.83£1.36
-19.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$1.98£1.48
-21.72%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.0
$4.59£3.43
-54.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$8.90£6.65
120.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$11.96£8.93
-71.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$16.53£12.34
-31.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$2.91£2.17
2.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$1.40£1.05
20.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$2.90£2.17
-23.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.0
$3.91£2.92
-44.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.8
$1.78£1.33
-14.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.55
$1.49£1.11
-10.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.57
$1.26£0.94
-10.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.19
$1.65£1.23
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$22.30£16.65
-80.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$11.27£8.42
69.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$2.74£2.05
-35.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$3.01£2.25
-7.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$2.87£2.15
-22.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿757
$123£92.2
-81.58%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$4.10£3.06
-26.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.06
$2.45£1.83
-58.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$24.37£18.20
-84.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.63
$2.04£1.52
-26.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.9K
$38.6K£28.8K
-31.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.8K
$42.0K£31.4K
-35.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,411
$420£314
-75.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$27.99£20.90
-59.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$42.65£31.85
-59.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,734
$54.4£40.60
-4.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿369
$22.84£17.05
-51.53%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$11.46£8.56
-32.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$1,809£1,351
-69.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.0K
$23.1K£17.3K
-50.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,098
$98.7£73.7
-36.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿983
$48.46£36.19
-39.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,263
$107£80.1
-8.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,946
$114£85.0
-22.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$838£626
-11.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$799£597
-39.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$1,541£1,151
36.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$1,714£1,280
-28.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.4K
$2,310£1,725
56.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.7K
$3,533£2,638
-26.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Aberdeen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
$3,705£2,766
-86.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
5.11
9.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Aberdeen: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $838 in Aberdeen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 651% higher in Aberdeen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $100 in Aberdeen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $325 – 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
Phuket vs Aberdeen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Aberdeen?
Aberdeen costs about 89% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Aberdeen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $3,494 in Aberdeen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Aberdeen?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Aberdeen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $2,329 in Aberdeen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Aberdeen?
Public transport costs about 443% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Aberdeen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Aberdeen at $2,329. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aberdeen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Aberdeen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,329 in Aberdeen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Aberdeen?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or to Aberdeen?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aberdeen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.