😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,220 in Caernarfon.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,734 in Caernarfon.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $4,247 in Caernarfon.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 4% more expensive than in Caernarfon, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Caernarfon12% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$13.45£9.94
-65.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$93.0£68.8
-65.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$9.36£6.92
-7.26%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$4.04£2.99
-28.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$2.63£1.94
-68.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$1.88£1.39
-73.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$4.96£3.66
-50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$4.16£3.07
-10.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.86£1.37
1.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$1.81£1.34
-22.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$2.19£1.62
-26.03%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$2.50£1.85
-10.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$11.38£8.41
74.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$7.24£5.35
-51.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$15.33£11.33
-25.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$2.52£1.86
15.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$1.39£1.02
23.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$1.32£0.98
71.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$1.37£1.01
55.47%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$1.63£1.20
-9.82%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.80£1.33
-21.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$1.42£1.05
-22.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$1.58£1.17
-62.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$22.30£16.48
-80.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$9.32£6.89
99.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$3.62£2.68
-50.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$3.38£2.50
-12.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$5.80£4.28
-61.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
$68.4£50.6
-65.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$5.11£3.78
-39.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$2.39£1.77
-54.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$24.85£18.37
-84.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$2.01£1.49
-28.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$38.5K£28.4K
-27.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$40.8K£30.1K
-33.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$324£239
-67.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$22.63£16.73
-49.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$40.92£30.25
-57.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$30.28£22.38
79.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$16.12£11.91
-51.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$1,624£1,200
-64.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$24.4K£18.0K
-52.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$109£80.9
-41.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$51.1£37.80
-43.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$106£78.5
-9.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$80.4£59.5
11.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$657£486
11.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$1,614£1,193
-22.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Caernarfon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$3,616£2,673
-85.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
5.09
9.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Caernarfon: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $657 in Caernarfon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Caernarfon pays 613% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $93.0 in Caernarfon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $281 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 Caernarfon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caernarfon cheaper than Phuket?
Caernarfon is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Caernarfon?
On paper, salaries run 613% lower in Caernarfon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Caernarfon?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $657 in Caernarfon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Caernarfon?
Dining out is cheaper in Caernarfon – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Caernarfon?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,220 in Caernarfon – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Caernarfon?
At $1,220 in Caernarfon versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caernarfon but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Caernarfon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Caernarfon more family-friendly?
For families, Caernarfon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Caernarfon?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Caernarfon 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Caernarfon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.