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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,026 in Albion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,867 in Albion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,708 in Albion.

Living in Phuket is roughly 23% more expensive than in Albion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Albion 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.54 MUR 306

-31.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$44.22 MUR 2,071

3.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.78 MUR 318

29.20%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.54 MUR 72.0

92.86%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.01 MUR 47.47

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.56 MUR 26.09

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.06 MUR 96.6

22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.67 MUR 125

40.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.46 MUR 68.2

47.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.52 MUR 24.52

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.34 MUR 62.6

62.69%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.27 MUR 106

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.07 MUR 565

65.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.47 MUR 256

-33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.19 MUR 384

65.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.62 MUR 76.0

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.41 MUR 66.2

16.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.43 MUR 66.8

62.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.95 MUR 91.5

6.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.86 MUR 40.14

80.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.63 MUR 29.70

131.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.63 MUR 29.70

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.32 MUR 14.82

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.13 MUR 287

-29.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$8.09 MUR 379

129.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.73 MUR 81.1

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.16 MUR 101

22.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.13 MUR 52.8

25.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$44.20 MUR 2,071

-73.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.52 MUR 212

-29.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.61 MUR 122

-60.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$20.13 MUR 943

-31.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.44 MUR 67.4

-6.94%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

-21.18%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

14.10%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$49.91 MUR 2,338

146.54%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.28 MUR 856

-24.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$33.34 MUR 1,562

-45.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$69.7 MUR 3,263

-12.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.96 MUR 279

48.83%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$156 MUR 7,310

340.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,031 MUR 188.8K

291.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$55.7 MUR 2,611

6.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$44.09 MUR 2,065

-21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$77.6 MUR 3,633

48.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$89.7 MUR 4,200

-6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$504 MUR 23.6K

23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$351 MUR 16.4K

27.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$938 MUR 43.9K

116.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,094 MUR 51.2K

36.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Albion: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $504 in Albion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Albion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,026 including rent). Albion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,539 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: $621 in Phuket versus $504 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 282% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $156 in Albion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,026 in Albion versus $1,264 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 23% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.