Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dunfermline

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,047 in Dunfermline, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Dunfermline, United Kingdom
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Dunfermline
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,047
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Dunfermline

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Dunfermline actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,047 in Dunfermline.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Dunfermline $2,047

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,016 in Dunfermline.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Dunfermline $3,016

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $3,986 in Dunfermline.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Dunfermline $3,986

Living in Phuket costs roughly 38% less than in Dunfermline, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Dunfermline is 50% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$20.15 £15.17
-77.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$79.1 £59.5
-59.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$9.59 £7.21
-8.13%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$4.37 £3.29
-35.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$2.49 £1.87
-65.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$1.32 £0.99
-62.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$5.69 £4.28
-55.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$5.98 £4.50
-38.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.92 £1.44
-13.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.24 £0.93
17.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.39 £1.80
-37.24%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.12 £3.10
-49.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$7.51 £5.65
153.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$8.54 £6.43
-61.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$10.07 £7.58
8.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$2.37 £1.78
23.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.28 £0.96
32.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.88 £2.17
-21.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$2.73 £2.05
-23.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.13 £0.85
33.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.34 £1.01
2.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.25 £0.94
-14.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$1.63 £1.22
-68.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$23.46 £17.66
-82.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$11.06 £8.33
69.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.19 £1.65
-16.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$2.48 £1.86
14.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$3.17 £2.39
-54.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$77.4 £58.3
-26.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$4.60 £3.46
-34.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$3.82 £2.87
-73.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$20.40 £15.35
-81.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.96 £1.47
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$37.6K £28.3K
-28.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$39.3K £29.6K
-32.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$238 £179
-59.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$13.31 £10.02
-15.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$42.35 £31.87
-60.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$48.25 £36.32
39.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$12.05 £9.07
-10.95%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$13.47 £10.13
-44.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$1,407 £1,059
-66.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$19.1K £14.4K
-41.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$52.8 £39.75
18.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$53.7 £40.40
-47.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$100 £75.5
-6.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$88.9 £66.9
-3.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$1,009 £760
-29.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$867 £652
-43.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,277 £961
50.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,376 £1,035
3.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$2,029 £1,527
105.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$2,726 £2,051
11.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Dunfermline
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$3,006 £2,263
-83.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.4
3.15%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dunfermline: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Dunfermline
$867 76.5% $376
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Dunfermline
$266 0% $0.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Dunfermline
$294 136% $169
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Dunfermline
$133 9.2% $11
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Dunfermline
$298 145% $176
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Dunfermline
$75 8.6% $7
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Dunfermline
$114 61.2% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,009 in Dunfermline. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunfermline pays about 6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $79 in Dunfermline for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $266 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇧 Dunfermline
🕒 Local time
03:32 3:32 AM
20:32 8:32 PM
7 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
55,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.753 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Dunfermline 10,010 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Dunfermline

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dunfermline: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Dunfermline?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Dunfermline. 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 Dunfermline?
On paper, salaries run 83% lower in Phuket. 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 Dunfermline?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,009 in Dunfermline. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Dunfermline?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 27% less than in Dunfermline. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Dunfermline?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $2,047 in Dunfermline – Phuket is about 38% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Dunfermline?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,047 in Dunfermline, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Dunfermline. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Dunfermline?
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.
How safe is Phuket compared to Dunfermline?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Dunfermline are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Phuket or to Dunfermline?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Dunfermline on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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