Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,479 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,553 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,628 in Cambridge.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 49% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Cambridge is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$14.44 CA$20.08

-67.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$65.4 CA$91.0

-30.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.54 CA$13.27

-11.64%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.53 CA$4.91

-17.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.20 CA$3.06

-68.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.63 CA$2.27

-77.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$5.95 CA$8.27

-59.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.69 CA$9.31

-44.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.12 CA$2.95

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.23 CA$3.11

-17.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.95 CA$4.10

-26.44%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.09 CA$4.29

-28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.21 CA$11.41

140.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.67 CA$16.23

-68.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.97 CA$19.43

-3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.78 CA$5.26

-13.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.20 CA$1.67

34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.71 CA$5.16

-35.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.72 CA$5.18

-44.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.70 CA$3.75

-43.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.49 CA$3.47

-40.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.14 CA$2.98

-53.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.64 CA$2.28

-68.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$13.68 CA$19.03

-67.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$12.75 CA$17.73

52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.47 CA$3.44

-27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.21 CA$4.47

-15.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$2.51 CA$3.49

-45.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$68.6 CA$95.4

-83.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.52 CA$3.51

19.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.74 CA$2.42

-43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$24.06 CA$33.46

-41.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.14 CA$1.59

19.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

12.95%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.2K CA$28.1K

62.89%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$154 CA$214

-20.99%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$38.79 CA$54.0

-65.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$55.2 CA$76.8

-66.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$30.12 CA$41.89

99.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.62 CA$16.16

-25.22%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$561 CA$780

23.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$10.1K CA$14.1K

54.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$56.6 CA$78.7

5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.66 CA$48.20

0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$70.3 CA$97.7

63.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$111 CA$155

-25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,411 CA$1,963

-56.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,378 CA$1,916

-68.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$2,702 CA$3,757

-22.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$2,106 CA$2,929

-28.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$4,307 CA$5,990

-12.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$3,927 CA$5,461

-33.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,989 CA$4,157

-83.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.64

-19.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,411 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 488% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $65.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $338 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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cambridge earns 488% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,411 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Cambridge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,479 in Cambridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cambridge 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.