🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,434 in Centurion.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,285 in Centurion.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $3,136 in Centurion.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 12% less than in Centurion, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Centurion is 4% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$22.24R 360
-79.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,066
$41.63R 673
-22.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$6.18R 100.0
40.45%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.9
$2.73R 44.19
6.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.91
$1.00R 16.20
-16.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.17
$0.89R 14.41
-44.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.1
$2.25R 36.43
10.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$2.51R 40.69
48.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.26R 20.44
50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.58
$1.29R 20.87
9.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$2.20R 35.52
-26.36%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$3.15R 50.9
-28.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$10.29R 166
92.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$6.88R 111
-49.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$7.25R 117
56.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.9
$1.88R 30.35
54.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$1.85R 29.89
-7.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.2
$2.30R 37.15
-1.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.5
$2.18R 35.22
-2.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.77
$1.65R 26.77
-10.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.96
$1.95R 31.48
-27.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.29
$1.40R 22.57
-21.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.78
$1.52R 24.60
-60.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$3.79R 61.4
13.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$6.37R 103
191.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.6
$1.63R 26.38
10.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.1
$2.11R 34.21
40.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.3
$2.46R 39.84
-8.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿777
$101R 1,628
-76.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿103
$1.21R 19.62
156.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.59
$1.22R 19.71
-11.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$9.14R 148
-57.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.20
$1.42R 22.92
0.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.9K
$36.6KR 591.6K
-24.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿892.4K
$33.6KR 543.4K
-19.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,466
$146R 2,355
-27.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿377
$31.61R 511
-63.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$42.69R 691
-58.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,797
$45.99R 744
18.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$11.11R 180
-29.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.1K
$319R 5,164
80.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿383.0K
$4,504R 72.9K
157.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,104
$60.7R 982
4.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿962
$45.61R 738
-36.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,182
$122R 1,979
-21.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,977
$108R 1,743
-16.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$349R 5,649
109.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.6K
$391R 6,327
28.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.3K
$604R 9,769
252.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$925R 15.0K
35.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.9K
$543R 8,783
550.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.7K
$638R 10.3K
311.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Centurion
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$2,456R 39.7K
-79.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
10.5
-46.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Centurion: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $349 in Centurion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Centurion pays 384% 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 $42.00 in Centurion. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $232, with Centurion cheaper for home cooking.
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 Centurion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Centurion?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Centurion. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Centurion?
On paper, salaries run 384% lower in Centurion. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Centurion?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $349 in Centurion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Centurion?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 328% less than in Centurion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Centurion?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $319 in Centurion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Centurion?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,434 in Centurion, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Centurion. 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 Centurion?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 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 Centurion?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Centurion 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 13% less than in Centurion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.