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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,052 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,572 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,092 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 6% lower, East London 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.79 R 110

-32.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$30.73 R 497

51.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.45 R 71.9

90.34%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.02 R 32.73

50.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.99 R 16.00

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.82 R 13.23

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.56 R 41.32

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.13 R 50.6

16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.06 R 17.13

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.90 R 14.55

111.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.03 R 32.85

8.37%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.06 R 33.29

7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.36 R 151

113.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.15 R 67.0

-11.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.42 R 120

78.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.52 R 24.50

112.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.13 R 34.47

-20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.43 R 23.19

67.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.46 R 23.66

42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.57 R 25.32

1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.47 R 23.78

0.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.05 R 16.97

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.92 R 14.88

-43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.62 R 42.36

62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$4.92 R 79.6

281.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.71 R 27.71

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.53 R 40.93

9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.73 R 11.82

86.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$21.78 R 352

-47.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.13 R 18.29

177.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.96 R 15.50

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.14 R 66.9

232.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.21 R 19.62

10.74%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$37.0K R 598.3K

-25.22%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.2K R 359.6K

52.25%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$196 R 3,172

-37.02%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$30.20 R 488

-55.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$44.54 R 720

-58.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$33.44 R 541

84.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$1.43 R 23.05

1106.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.60 R 58.2

153.89%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$121 R 1,948

483.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,276 R 69.1K

271.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$51.9 R 838

14.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$28.73 R 464

22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$107 R 1,724

8.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$85.4 R 1,380

-1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$268 R 4,337

130.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$300 R 4,845

44.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$505 R 8,161

308.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$551 R 8,912

174.13%

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

$1,645 R 26.6K

-69.19%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for East London: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $268 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 225% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $187 – 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $1,052 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,578 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 $703 per month in Phuket and $121 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 $1,052, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,052 in East London to $1,261 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.