Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Freeport Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Freeport

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,289 in Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $3,567 in Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $4,845 in Freeport.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 45% less than in Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Freeport is 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$22.14 BSD 22.14

-79.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$98.8 BSD 98.8

-52.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$12.07 BSD 12.07

-29.83%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$5.44 BSD 5.44

-44.30%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.31 BSD 2.31

-70.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.60 BSD 1.60

-76.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$4.46 BSD 4.46

-44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.88 BSD 7.88

-53.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.74 BSD 1.74

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.68 BSD 3.68

-48.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$5.59 BSD 5.59

-60.64%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$8.28 BSD 8.28

-73.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$8.91 BSD 8.91

124.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.95 BSD 2.95

-42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$6.48 BSD 6.48

-67.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.25 BSD 2.25

-34.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$3.30 BSD 3.30

-68.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.84 BSD 1.84

-71.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$20.17 BSD 20.17

-6.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$4.24 BSD 4.24

-58.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.49 BSD 1.49

-8.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.92 BSD 2.92

7.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.58 BSD 1.58

-15.19%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.9K BSD 34.9K

-2.84%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$117 BSD 117

5.22%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$39.64 BSD 39.64

-65.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$64.2 BSD 64.2

-70.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$47.41 BSD 47.41

30.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$371 BSD 371

89.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,134 BSD 8,134

95.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$47.01 BSD 47.01

26.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$24.85 BSD 24.85

41.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$95.3 BSD 95.3

20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$80.1 BSD 80.1

4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$1,203 BSD 1,203

-48.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$1,318 BSD 1,318

-67.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$2,067 BSD 2,067

-0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$2,468 BSD 2,468

-38.78%

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

$1,560 BSD 1,560

-67.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.38

-48.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Freeport: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,203 in Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freeport pays 208% 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 $99.0 in Freeport. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $288, with Freeport 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 Freeport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Freeport differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $2,289 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Freeport earns 208% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,203 in Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $371 in Freeport. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $99.0 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,289 in Freeport, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Freeport. 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 Freeport 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 81% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.