Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Albion Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Albion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,022 in Albion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,856 in Albion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,689 in Albion.

Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than Albion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Albion 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.44 MUR 301

-28.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$43.97 MUR 2,058

6.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.57 MUR 307

34.55%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.55 MUR 72.5

93.55%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.97 MUR 45.29

-23.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.60 MUR 28.30

-38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.99 MUR 93.0

22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.72 MUR 127

32.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.45 MUR 68.0

55.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.56 MUR 26.27

228.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.28 MUR 59.8

75.00%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.23 MUR 104

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$12.03 MUR 563

63.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.29 MUR 247

-31.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.37 MUR 392

56.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.60 MUR 75.0

111.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.42 MUR 66.2

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.43 MUR 67.0

68.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.04 MUR 95.3

-0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.84 MUR 39.45

85.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.63 MUR 29.55

138.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.69 MUR 32.22

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.34 MUR 16.07

44.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$6.07 MUR 284

-26.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.07 MUR 378

133.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.71 MUR 80.1

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.16 MUR 101

27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.09 MUR 50.8

28.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$44.54 MUR 2,084

-74.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.27 MUR 200

-26.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.64 MUR 123

-62.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$19.97 MUR 935

-29.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.39 MUR 65.1

-2.88%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-24.44%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

12.37%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$49.75 MUR 2,328

151.22%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$18.14 MUR 849

-25.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$34.07 MUR 1,594

-45.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$70.6 MUR 3,303

-12.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.01 MUR 281

52.91%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$156 MUR 7,316

346.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,977 MUR 186.1K

292.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$54.0 MUR 2,525

7.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$44.13 MUR 2,065

-20.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$78.3 MUR 3,662

44.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$86.6 MUR 4,050

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$522 MUR 24.4K

17.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$353 MUR 16.5K

26.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$960 MUR 44.9K

113.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$1,081 MUR 50.6K

38.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Albion: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $522 in Albion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Albion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $194 per month, with Albion 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

Phuket vs Albion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Albion differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,022 including rent). Albion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,533 in Albion to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $522 in Albion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Albion runs roughly 288% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $156 in Albion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,022 in Albion versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albion but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Albion the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Albion are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Albion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.