🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,256 in Ashton-under-Lyne.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $3,401 in Ashton-under-Lyne.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $4,547 in Ashton-under-Lyne.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Ashton-under-Lyne, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Ashton-under-Lyne is 69% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$20.48£15.25
-77.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$93.7£69.8
-50.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$9.37£6.98
-9.39%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$4.58£3.41
-32.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$2.14£1.59
-68.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$1.52£1.13
-76.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$6.72£5.00
-63.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$6.14£4.57
-40.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$1.70£1.27
28.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$1.63£1.22
11.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$2.24£1.67
-0.45%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$4.03£3.00
-44.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$8.53£6.35
129.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$9.06£6.75
-58.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$15.10£11.24
-10.79%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$2.86£2.13
17.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$1.58£1.18
2.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$2.59£1.93
-6.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$3.70£2.75
-46.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$1.85£1.38
-17.30%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$1.78£1.33
-18.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$1.26£0.94
-19.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$1.32£0.98
-63.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$19.24£14.33
-77.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$10.17£7.57
88.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$2.57£1.91
-28.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$2.76£2.05
-0.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
$3.42£2.55
-58.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
$89.3£66.5
-86.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$4.03£3.00
-25.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$1.53£1.14
-31.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$16.11£12.00
-13.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$1.96£1.46
-34.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$38.2K£28.5K
-26.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$37.6K£28.0K
-10.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$294£219
-58.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$18.39£13.70
-24.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$42.81£31.88
-55.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
$45.05£33.55
36.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$20.59£15.34
-18.21%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$13.36£9.95
-33.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$1,659£1,235
-58.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$16.2K£12.1K
-0.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$89.7£66.8
-35.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$41.55£30.95
-14.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$87.7£65.4
29.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$106£79.3
-22.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
$1,199£893
-49.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
$1,021£761
-56.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
$2,076£1,546
-2.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
$1,687£1,257
-11.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
$2,723£2,028
31.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
$2,325£1,732
11.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.76
-7.47%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Last update for Ashton-under-Lyne: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $1,199 in Ashton-under-Lyne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $94.0 in Ashton-under-Lyne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $296 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
Phuket vs Ashton-under-Lyne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Ashton-under-Lyne?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Ashton-under-Lyne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Ashton-under-Lyne?
You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $3,384 in Ashton-under-Lyne 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Ashton-under-Lyne?
Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $1,199 in Ashton-under-Lyne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Ashton-under-Lyne?
Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Ashton-under-Lyne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Ashton-under-Lyne?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $94.0 in Ashton-under-Lyne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Ashton-under-Lyne?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,256 in Ashton-under-Lyne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ashton-under-Lyne. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Ashton-under-Lyne?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Ashton-under-Lyne?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ashton-under-Lyne 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Ashton-under-Lyne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.