😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $894 in Fort Wellington.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,533 in Fort Wellington.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,171 in Fort Wellington.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than in Fort Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Fort Wellington33% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$11.97GYD 2,488
-61.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$71.6GYD 14.9K
-35.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$8.37GYD 1,740
5.62%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$5.17GYD 1,074
-40.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.24GYD 258
-41.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.71GYD 147
-43.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.05GYD 426
18.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.36GYD 491
60.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$3.33GYD 692
-32.13%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$2.13GYD 442
-15.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.98GYD 411
13.64%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$4.20GYD 873
-46.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$13.67GYD 2,841
42.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$6.23GYD 1,296
-41.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$9.42GYD 1,959
38.54%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$9.40GYD 1,954
-65.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$2.67GYD 556
-39.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$3.31GYD 688
-28.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$6.54GYD 1,359
-68.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$2.39GYD 497
-35.98%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.89GYD 602
-48.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$2.27GYD 471
-56.83%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$1.45GYD 301
-64.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$2.56GYD 532
73.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$16.74GYD 3,479
9.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.68GYD 349
10.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$2.44GYD 508
9.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$3.16GYD 657
-1.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$11.92GYD 2,478
18.37%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.02GYD 212
28.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$22.2KGYD 4.6M
25.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$17.5KGYD 3.6M
89.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$90.1GYD 18.7K
35.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$27.08GYD 5,629
-49.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$50.6GYD 10.5K
-63.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$6.68GYD 1,388
35.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$1,008GYD 209.6K
-29.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$22.9KGYD 4.8M
-30.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$34.12GYD 7,094
71.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$53.3GYD 11.1K
-33.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$127GYD 26.4K
-9.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$76.2GYD 15.8K
9.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Fort Wellington
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$972GYD 202.1K
-48.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
7.5
-28.93%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Fort Wellington: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Fort Wellington pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $72.0 in Fort Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $375 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 Fort Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fort Wellington cheaper than Phuket?
Fort Wellington is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Fort Wellington?
On paper, salaries run 94% lower in Fort Wellington. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $1,008 in Fort Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Fort Wellington?
Dining out is cheaper in Fort Wellington – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Fort Wellington?
At $894 in Fort Wellington versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fort Wellington but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Wellington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Fort Wellington more family-friendly?
For families, Fort Wellington is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Fort Wellington?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Fort Wellington are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Fort Wellington gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.