Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Exeter Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Exeter

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,336 in Exeter.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,803 in Exeter.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $5,270 in Exeter.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 47% less than in Exeter, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Exeter is 74% above.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 āļŋ151
$20.53 ÂĢ15.22
-77.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84 āļŋ1,532
$89.9 ÂĢ66.6
-47.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 āļŋ289
$10.09 ÂĢ7.48
-12.39%
Cappuccino
$3.00 āļŋ98.0
$4.55 ÂĢ3.37
-34.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 āļŋ24.25
$3.06 ÂĢ2.27
-75.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 āļŋ11.95
$1.71 ÂĢ1.27
-78.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 āļŋ79.8
$7.26 ÂĢ5.38
-66.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 āļŋ118
$6.07 ÂĢ4.50
-40.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 āļŋ73.9
$1.71 ÂĢ1.27
32.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 āļŋ60.1
$1.83 ÂĢ1.35
0.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 āļŋ73.4
$1.67 ÂĢ1.23
34.13%
Eggs
$2.32 āļŋ75.7
$4.65 ÂĢ3.44
-50.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.67 āļŋ643
$8.60 ÂĢ6.38
128.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 āļŋ119
$6.86 ÂĢ5.08
-46.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 āļŋ428
$19.27 ÂĢ14.28
-32.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 āļŋ111
$2.33 ÂĢ1.73
45.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 āļŋ53.7
$1.23 ÂĢ0.91
33.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 āļŋ79.0
$2.30 ÂĢ1.71
4.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 āļŋ66.4
$3.19 ÂĢ2.36
-36.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 āļŋ50.9
$1.14 ÂĢ0.84
36.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 āļŋ48.94
$1.26 ÂĢ0.93
19.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 āļŋ33.50
$0.99 ÂĢ0.74
3.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 āļŋ16.00
$1.39 ÂĢ1.03
-64.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45 āļŋ145
$21.43 ÂĢ15.88
-79.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.88 āļŋ617
$9.26 ÂĢ6.86
103.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 āļŋ58.1
$2.65 ÂĢ1.97
-32.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 āļŋ90.1
$2.49 ÂĢ1.85
10.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 āļŋ45.81
$2.74 ÂĢ2.03
-48.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.48 āļŋ376
$105 ÂĢ78.1
-89.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 āļŋ102
$6.67 ÂĢ4.95
-53.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 āļŋ32.67
$1.64 ÂĢ1.22
-39.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.09 āļŋ461
$21.66 ÂĢ16.05
-34.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 āļŋ44.19
$1.96 ÂĢ1.45
-31.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K āļŋ888.9K
$38.1K ÂĢ28.2K
-28.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K āļŋ1.1M
$38.4K ÂĢ28.4K
-14.16%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 āļŋ4,087
$342 ÂĢ253
-63.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 āļŋ444
$16.33 ÂĢ12.10
-16.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52 āļŋ606
$45.50 ÂĢ33.71
-59.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.5 āļŋ2,010
$39.16 ÂĢ29.02
57.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 āļŋ551
$14.45 ÂĢ10.71
16.54%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19 āļŋ300
$12.01 ÂĢ8.90
-23.48%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 āļŋ22.8K
$1,493 ÂĢ1,107
-53.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K āļŋ509.9K
$21.3K ÂĢ15.8K
-26.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 āļŋ1,889
$76.5 ÂĢ56.7
-24.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 āļŋ1,152
$34.61 ÂĢ25.64
1.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,699
$101 ÂĢ74.8
12.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 āļŋ2,825
$110 ÂĢ81.2
-21.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$616 āļŋ20.1K
$1,334 ÂĢ989
-53.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 āļŋ14.6K
$1,008 ÂĢ747
-55.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,048 āļŋ67.0K
$2,623 ÂĢ1,943
-21.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 āļŋ48.8K
$2,449 ÂĢ1,815
-39.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,779 āļŋ123.6K
$5,366 ÂĢ3,976
-29.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,649 āļŋ86.6K
$6,748 ÂĢ5,000
-60.75%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Exeter
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 āļŋ17.1K
$3,103 ÂĢ2,299
-83.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
5.72
-6.82%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Exeter: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,334 in Exeter. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Exeter pays 492% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $90.0 in Exeter. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $286, with Exeter 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 Exeter: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Exeter?
Phuket and Exeter differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,336 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Exeter earns 492% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Exeter?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,334 in Exeter. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $90.0 in Exeter. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Exeter?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,336 in Exeter – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,336 in Exeter, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Exeter. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Exeter?
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.
Is Phuket or Exeter safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Exeter are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Exeter?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Exeter. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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