Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,051 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,562 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,074 in East London, rent included.

Phuket costs about 20% more than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and East London are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, East London 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.53 R 108

-31.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,522

$30.53 R 505

49.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.47 R 73.9

95.97%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$2.08 R 34.48

42.79%

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

$0.69 ฿22.92

$1.01 R 16.64

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.86 R 14.22

-54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$2.46 R 40.64

2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.04 R 50.3

23.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.02 R 16.90

110.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.91 R 15.01

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$2.08 R 34.36

4.81%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$2.05 R 33.89

9.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$9.36 R 155

113.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.14 R 68.4

-12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$7.47 R 124

81.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.59 R 26.23

103.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.05 R 33.96

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$1.38 R 22.79

68.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$1.46 R 24.15

41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.56 R 25.74

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$1.49 R 24.61

-2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.88

$1.09 R 18.09

-10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.87 R 14.37

-44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.62 R 43.40

66.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$4.65 R 76.9

299.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$1.73 R 28.55

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$2.53 R 41.89

4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.32

$0.68 R 11.19

108.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$21.98 R 364

-47.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.14 R 18.90

178.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.45

$0.95 R 15.67

8.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$4.07 R 67.4

241.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.88

$1.27 R 21.08

5.51%

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

$27.8K ฿927.9K

$37.1K R 613.2K

-25.04%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.3K R 368.9K

49.68%

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

$123 ฿4,109

$196 R 3,243

-37.24%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$29.96 R 496

-54.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$45.04 R 745

-59.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,026

$34.20 R 566

77.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$1.38 R 22.75

1143.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.68 R 60.9

141.03%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$117 R 1,936

487.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.9K

$4,123 R 68.2K

282.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,980

$52.3 R 865

13.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,158

$29.05 R 480

19.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,846

$108 R 1,794

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,797

$87.2 R 1,442

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$261 R 4,315

138.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$296 R 4,902

50.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$506 R 8,362

302.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$561 R 9,281

166.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,628 R 26.9K

-69.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-51.55%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for East London: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $261 in East London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 230% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $185 – making East London the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,051 in East London – roughly 20% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,576 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $117 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Phuket at $1,264. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,051 in East London to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with East London. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.