Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Carlton Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Carlton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,323 in Carlton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,397 in Carlton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,472 in Carlton.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 47% less than in Carlton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Carlton is 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$17.97 A$25.34

-75.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$72.4 A$102

-55.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.42 A$14.69

-14.30%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.08 A$4.34

-5.84%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.64 A$3.73

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.18 A$3.07

-77.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$6.89 A$9.72

-65.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$6.64 A$9.36

-43.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.31 A$1.85

42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.04 A$2.88

-27.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.39 A$1.97

11.51%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.39 A$4.78

-38.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.93 A$15.42

79.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.66 A$13.63

-64.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$15.48 A$21.83

-26.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.35 A$4.73

-11.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.83 A$3.99

-40.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.29 A$4.65

-32.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.75 A$6.70

-54.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.49 A$3.51

-38.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.22 A$3.13

-39.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.23 A$3.14

-49.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.87 A$1.23

-36.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$25.25 A$35.61

-83.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.64 A$15.01

79.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$5.54 A$7.81

-67.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$5.31 A$7.49

-47.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.25 A$4.59

-31.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$84.6 A$119

-73.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.67 A$5.17

-17.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.27 A$1.79

-19.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$27.37 A$38.60

-85.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.39 A$1.96

7.19%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$18.2K A$25.7K

46.05%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$14.3K A$20.2K

88.46%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$94.9 A$134

8.02%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$28.80 A$40.62

-60.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$47.15 A$66.5

-63.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$31.89 A$44.97

63.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$18.60 A$26.23

-40.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$13.32 A$18.78

-42.27%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$2,163 A$3,050

-74.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$13.1K A$18.5K

-12.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$81.0 A$114

-22.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$52.4 A$73.9

-43.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$72.7 A$103

34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$135 A$190

-34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,455 A$2,052

-49.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,275 A$1,798

-62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$2,278 A$3,212

-7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,846 A$2,604

-33.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$6,371 A$8,985

-43.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$4,980 A$7,023

-47.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$5,844 A$8,242

-91.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.87

-5.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Carlton: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,455 in Carlton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlton pays 1084% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $72.0 in Carlton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $342 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 Carlton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Carlton differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,323 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1084% lower in Carlton. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $1,455 in Carlton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $2,163 in Carlton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Carlton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,323 in Carlton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Carlton. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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 Carlton 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 89% less than in Carlton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.