Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $4,618 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $7,071 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $9,524 in George Town.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 73% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, George Town is 246% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$30.65 KYD 25.13

-85.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$144 KYD 118

-67.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$15.94 KYD 13.07

-44.54%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$6.90 KYD 5.65

-55.65%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$3.36 KYD 2.76

-78.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$2.72 KYD 2.23

-85.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$9.27 KYD 7.60

-73.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$8.18 KYD 6.71

-53.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$3.02 KYD 2.48

-25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$5.30 KYD 4.35

-65.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$5.75 KYD 4.72

-60.87%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$9.84 KYD 8.07

-77.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.71 KYD 9.60

66.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$16.01 KYD 13.13

-77.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$16.24 KYD 13.32

-19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$10.67 KYD 8.75

-69.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$4.66 KYD 3.82

-65.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$7.91 KYD 6.49

-69.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$7.64 KYD 6.27

-73.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$5.34 KYD 4.38

-71.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$5.50 KYD 4.51

-72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$6.09 KYD 5.00

-83.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$3.00 KYD 2.46

-82.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$14.61 KYD 11.98

-69.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$25.67 KYD 21.05

-28.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.92 KYD 3.21

-52.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$5.16 KYD 4.23

-48.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$2.45 KYD 2.01

-42.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$30.28 KYD 24.83

-61.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$18.28 KYD 14.99

-82.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$4.82 KYD 3.95

-78.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$59.4 KYD 48.69

-76.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.71 KYD 1.40

-23.39%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$39.2K KYD 32.1K

-29.02%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.0K KYD 27.9K

-2.36%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$385 KYD 316

-68.23%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$97.8 KYD 80.2

-86.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$110 KYD 90.4

-83.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$106 KYD 86.9

-42.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$40.38 KYD 33.11

-57.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$18.17 KYD 14.90

-50.08%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$1,744 KYD 1,430

-59.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$24.3K KYD 19.9K

-35.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$91.7 KYD 75.2

-36.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$70.8 KYD 58.1

-50.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$147 KYD 121

-21.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$149 KYD 122

-43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$2,806 KYD 2,301

-77.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$2,485 KYD 2,038

-82.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$5,558 KYD 4,557

-63.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$4,697 KYD 3,851

-68.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$8,809 KYD 7,223

-60.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,303 KYD 1,889

11.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$7,125 KYD 5,842

-92.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.25

-35.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $2,806 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1325% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $144 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $629 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and George Town differ by about 269% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $4,618 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1325% lower in George Town. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $2,806 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $4,618 in George Town – a 269% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 159% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $4,618 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in George Town. 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 George Town 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 269% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.