Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Crooked Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Crooked Island

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,138 in Crooked Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $3,461 in Crooked Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $4,784 in Crooked Island.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 41% less than in Crooked Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Crooked Island is 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$50.6 BSD 50.6

-90.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$13.10 BSD 13.10

-35.34%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.09 BSD 4.09

-25.92%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$3.96 BSD 3.96

-82.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$2.04 BSD 2.04

-81.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$5.05 BSD 5.05

-50.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.13 BSD 5.13

-28.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$8.11 BSD 8.11

-73.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$6.02 BSD 6.02

-68.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$3.53 BSD 3.53

-37.68%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$11.62 BSD 11.62

-80.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$13.21 BSD 13.21

51.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.94 BSD 7.94

66.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$6.37 BSD 6.37

-49.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.28 BSD 1.28

86.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$11.87 BSD 11.87

-82.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.21 BSD 2.21

-28.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.92 BSD 2.92

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.98 BSD 0.98

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$2.01 BSD 2.01

-74.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$29.91 BSD 29.91

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$5.03 BSD 5.03

-65.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$4.97 BSD 4.97

-44.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.03 BSD 2.03

-48.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$216 BSD 216

-42.85%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$60.1 BSD 60.1

-77.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$69.1 BSD 69.1

-72.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$79.5 BSD 79.5

-25.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$50.7 BSD 50.7

-30.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$247 BSD 247

-53.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$102 BSD 102

-17.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$547 BSD 547

13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$541 BSD 541

-20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,594 BSD 1,594

29.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,626 BSD 1,626

-7.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,095 BSD 1,095

-53.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $547 in Crooked Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 116% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Crooked Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Crooked Island differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $2,138 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Crooked Island earns 116% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $547 in Crooked Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $2,138 in Crooked Island – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,138 in Crooked Island, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Crooked Island. 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 Crooked Island 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 69% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.