Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Forbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Forbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,608 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $3,730 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $4,852 in Forbes.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Forbes is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$17.66 A$24.69

-73.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$86.7 A$121

-62.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$10.74 A$15.02

-19.18%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$4.14 A$5.79

-29.95%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$3.03 A$4.24

-72.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$2.29 A$3.20

-78.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$7.82 A$10.93

-68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$7.50 A$10.48

-50.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.66 A$2.32

13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$2.82 A$3.95

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.36 A$3.29

-31.36%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$5.16 A$7.21

-56.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.70 A$13.56

104.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$9.34 A$13.05

-62.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$15.37 A$21.49

-26.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$3.73 A$5.22

-22.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$3.08 A$4.31

-44.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$3.35 A$4.68

-32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$4.90 A$6.85

-56.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$2.61 A$3.65

-43.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$2.47 A$3.45

-42.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$2.53 A$3.53

-56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$1.65 A$2.31

-63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$39.79 A$55.6

-89.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$14.53 A$20.31

28.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$5.21 A$7.28

-65.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$5.54 A$7.74

-46.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$3.15 A$4.40

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

$86.1 A$120

-72.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$3.54 A$4.94

-12.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$1.60 A$2.24

-32.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$41.87 A$58.5

-90.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$1.30 A$1.81

10.00%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$27.9K A$38.9K

-0.27%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$31.2K A$43.6K

-13.56%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$210 A$294

-50.18%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$27.37 A$38.26

-58.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$57.7 A$80.6

-69.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$56.4 A$78.8

-3.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$18.63 A$26.04

-38.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$16.06 A$22.45

-51.56%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$2,166 A$3,028

-73.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$21.1K A$29.5K

-45.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$79.7 A$111

-20.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$54.7 A$76.5

-46.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$116 A$162

-16.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$129 A$181

-30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$1,449 A$2,026

-49.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$1,311 A$1,833

-61.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$2,339 A$3,269

-9.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,869 A$2,613

-33.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

$6,620 A$9,253

-46.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

$5,241 A$7,325

-49.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.85

-4.79%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Forbes: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $1,449 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $87.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $381 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Forbes differ by about 106% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $2,608 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $3,912 in Forbes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $1,449 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $2,608 in Forbes – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 266% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,608 in Forbes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Forbes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.