Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Freetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Freetown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,734 in Freetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,429 in Freetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,124 in Freetown, rent included.

Phuket is about 27% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Freetown is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

130.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$39.33 SLL 897.6K

-18.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$11.11 SLL 253.7K

-21.87%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.43 SLL 55.4K

19.34%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.35 SLL 30.8K

-37.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.73 SLL 16.7K

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.96 SLL 44.8K

26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.97 SLL 67.7K

25.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.48 SLL 56.7K

-23.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.63 SLL 14.3K

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

23.66%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.83 SLL 41.8K

22.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$7.11 SLL 162.4K

179.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$9.94 SLL 227.0K

-64.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$5.23 SLL 119.3K

117.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.94 SLL 89.9K

-26.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.96 SLL 44.6K

-12.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.72 SLL 16.5K

215.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$5.15 SLL 117.5K

-58.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.03 SLL 46.3K

-27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.58 SLL 36.1K

-10.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.33 SLL 30.2K

-54.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.92 SLL 66.7K

47.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$7.59 SLL 173.3K

145.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.22 SLL 27.9K

47.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.08 SLL 47.6K

42.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.42 SLL 9,547

435.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.48 SLL 10.9K

545.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.33 SLL 30.4K

7.52%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$11.9K SLL 271.2M

133.84%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$25.4K SLL 579.1M

6.36%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$60.0 SLL 1.4M

74.55%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$9.98 SLL 227.8K

14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$9.87 SLL 225.4K

544.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$7.97 SLL 181.8K

265.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$20.24 SLL 462.1K

375.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$49.74 SLL 1.1M

80.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$939 SLL 21.4M

-21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$1,257 SLL 28.7M

-60.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$3,545 SLL 80.9M

-40.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$1,337 SLL 30.5M

-62.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Freetown: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $939 in Freetown. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 163% higher in Freetown, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Freetown. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $241 in Freetown – so Freetown wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Freetown costs about 37% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,602 in Freetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $39.00 in Freetown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,734 in Freetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Freetown at $1,734. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $1,734 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Freetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.