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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,036 in Albion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,862 in Albion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,688 in Albion.

Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than Albion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Albion 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.70 MUR 316

-31.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$44.36 MUR 2,089

5.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.65 MUR 313

27.37%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.53 MUR 72.0

98.04%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.95 MUR 44.94

-27.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.60 MUR 28.15

-38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.08 MUR 97.8

19.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.72 MUR 128

34.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.44 MUR 67.9

51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.53 MUR 24.99

258.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.34 MUR 62.9

64.18%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.33 MUR 110

-4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.96 MUR 563

67.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.46 MUR 257

-32.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.43 MUR 397

57.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.67 MUR 78.8

93.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.42 MUR 66.6

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.46 MUR 68.6

63.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.04 MUR 95.9

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.85 MUR 39.82

87.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.65 MUR 30.50

127.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.67 MUR 31.73

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.32 MUR 14.92

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$6.24 MUR 294

-31.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$8.10 MUR 381

131.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.73 MUR 81.7

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.24 MUR 106

23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.12 MUR 52.9

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$43.13 MUR 2,031

-73.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$4.35 MUR 205

-27.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.72 MUR 128

-61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$20.05 MUR 944

-31.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.39 MUR 65.6

-3.60%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$36.4K MUR 1.7M

-23.93%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$28.4K MUR 1.3M

19.40%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$49.08 MUR 2,311

151.81%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$18.04 MUR 850

-25.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$33.09 MUR 1,558

-43.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$70.7 MUR 3,328

-12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.13 MUR 289

49.10%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$153 MUR 7,190

360.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,951 MUR 186.0K

301.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$54.0 MUR 2,541

10.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$44.34 MUR 2,088

-20.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$77.8 MUR 3,665

48.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$86.4 MUR 4,070

-2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$514 MUR 24.2K

20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$349 MUR 16.4K

23.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$933 MUR 43.9K

120.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,111 MUR 52.3K

36.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Albion: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $514 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 $293 vs $195 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,036 including rent). Albion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,554 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: $619 in Phuket versus $514 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 280% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $153 in Albion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,036 in Albion versus $1,261 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 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.