Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Exmouth

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,489 in Exmouth, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Exmouth, Australia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Exmouth
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,489
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Exmouth

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 Exmouth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $2,489 in Exmouth, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Exmouth $2,489

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $3,584 in Exmouth, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Exmouth $3,584

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $4,678 in Exmouth, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Exmouth $4,678

Phuket is about 51% cheaper than Exmouth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 11% below the global median, while Exmouth is 84% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿148
$17.58 A$24.98
-74.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,089
$84.5 A$120
-61.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿296
$10.55 A$14.99
-16.97%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$3.86 A$5.49
-26.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.43
$2.89 A$4.10
-68.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.71
$2.30 A$3.26
-79.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿86.0
$7.46 A$10.61
-65.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿129
$7.64 A$10.85
-49.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿58.2
$1.58 A$2.25
9.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.58
$2.64 A$3.76
-44.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.1
$2.20 A$3.13
-31.36%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$4.75 A$6.75
-54.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿665
$9.34 A$13.27
110.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿113
$9.08 A$12.90
-63.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿377
$14.90 A$21.17
-25.10%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿96.0
$3.78 A$5.37
-24.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿57.5
$2.97 A$4.22
-42.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$3.20 A$4.54
-31.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿69.0
$4.61 A$6.55
-55.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$2.68 A$3.81
-45.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.60
$2.32 A$3.29
-40.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿36.04
$2.34 A$3.32
-54.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.07
$1.54 A$2.19
-66.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿144
$41.38 A$58.8
-89.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿627
$13.76 A$19.55
35.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿60.2
$4.62 A$6.56
-61.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿96.1
$5.14 A$7.31
-44.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿76.3
$2.79 A$3.97
-19.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿746
$80.6 A$114
-72.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿102
$3.45 A$4.90
-12.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.68
$1.55 A$2.20
-31.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿130
$39.53 A$56.2
-90.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.91
$1.30 A$1.84
11.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.3K
$26.5K A$37.7K
-0.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.1K
$29.9K A$42.5K
-9.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,252
$204 A$290
-52.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿372
$27.80 A$39.50
-60.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿578
$55.8 A$79.3
-69.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,760
$56.5 A$80.2
-7.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿376
$17.56 A$24.95
-36.45%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿263
$14.56 A$20.69
-46.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.8K
$2,165 A$3,077
-74.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿390.7K
$20.1K A$28.6K
-42.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,166
$75.9 A$108
-15.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿968
$53.7 A$76.3
-46.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,217
$106 A$151
-10.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,968
$122 A$173
-27.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.9K
$1,411 A$2,006
-47.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.6K
$1,197 A$1,701
-61.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.7K
$2,161 A$3,070
-3.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.5K
$1,776 A$2,523
-32.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿117.7K
$5,789 A$8,226
-39.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿85.1K
$4,878 A$6,932
-48.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Exmouth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.84
-4.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Exmouth: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Exmouth
$1.2K 159% $735
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Exmouth
$362 34.8% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Exmouth
$288 131% $163
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Exmouth
$161 29.6% $37
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Exmouth
$292 141% $171
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Exmouth
$86 26.3% $18
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Exmouth
$103 161% $64

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Phuket versus $1,411 in Exmouth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $84 in Exmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $362 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇦🇺 Exmouth
🕒 Local time
02:47 2:47 AM
03:47 3:47 AM
1 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
3,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.8 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.628 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Exmouth 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Exmouth

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 Exmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Exmouth?
Exmouth costs about 106% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Exmouth?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $3,734 in Exmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Exmouth?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $737 there versus $1,411 in Exmouth.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Exmouth?
Kindergarten costs $556 per month in Phuket and $2,165 in Exmouth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Exmouth?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Exmouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Exmouth?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in Exmouth at $2,489. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Exmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Phuket compared to Exmouth?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Phuket is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 106% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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