Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and George Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $4,936 in George Town, rent and utilities included – about $44,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
238

Cost of Living Index in George Town
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George Town Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

George Town

🇰🇾 Cayman Islands

$4,936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in George Town

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in George Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $4,936 in George Town.

Phuket $1,207
George Town $4,936

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $7,405 in George Town.

Phuket $2,037
George Town $7,405

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $9,875 in George Town.

Phuket $2,867
George Town $9,875

Living in Phuket costs roughly 76% less than in George Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, George Town is 266% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$30.24 KYD 24.80

-84.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$115 KYD 94.0

-71.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$16.97 KYD 13.91

-49.62%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$7.16 KYD 5.87

-62.01%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$2.99 KYD 2.45

-68.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$2.86 KYD 2.35

-82.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$7.10 KYD 5.82

-63.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$9.42 KYD 7.73

-59.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$4.67 KYD 3.83

-62.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$4.23 KYD 3.47

-66.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$4.40 KYD 3.61

-65.23%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$7.29 KYD 5.98

-70.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$55.9 KYD 45.87

-65.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$18.98 KYD 15.56

-82.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$19.38 KYD 15.89

-42.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$7.47 KYD 6.12

-60.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$3.62 KYD 2.96

-53.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$6.01 KYD 4.93

-61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$7.95 KYD 6.52

-73.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$4.03 KYD 3.31

-62.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$3.96 KYD 3.24

-65.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$3.18 KYD 2.61

-64.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.25 KYD 1.85

-75.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$14.50 KYD 11.89

-70.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$25.15 KYD 20.62

-27.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$4.14 KYD 3.40

-57.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$5.37 KYD 4.40

-48.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$2.34 KYD 1.92

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$79.7 KYD 65.4

-72.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$19.10 KYD 15.66

-84.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$3.86 KYD 3.16

-73.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$45.76 KYD 37.52

-91.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$1.65 KYD 1.35

-9.70%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$42.3K KYD 34.7K

-36.89%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$43.1K KYD 35.3K

-38.00%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$459 KYD 377

-78.37%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$118 KYD 96.4

-90.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$112 KYD 91.9

-84.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$213 KYD 174

-75.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

$35.02 KYD 28.71

-69.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$18.78 KYD 15.40

-59.69%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

$1,840 KYD 1,509

-69.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$26.2K KYD 21.5K

-56.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$85.9 KYD 70.4

-26.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$74.8 KYD 61.3

-61.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$138 KYD 113

-30.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$147 KYD 121

-40.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$2,943 KYD 2,413

-75.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$2,491 KYD 2,042

-81.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$5,699 KYD 4,674

-63.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$4,661 KYD 3,822

-73.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$8,627 KYD 7,074

-59.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$2,246 KYD 1,842

10.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$7,354 KYD 6,030

-93.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-30.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for George Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

George Town

$2.5K 50.5% 442% $2K

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

George Town

$721 14.6% 170% $453

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

George Town

$689 14% 438% $561

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

George Town

$201 4.1% 61.8% $77

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

George Town

$457 9.3% 276% $335

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

George Town

$250 5.1% 271% $183

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

George Town

$127 2.6% 228% $89

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $2,943 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1392% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $115 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $721 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇰🇾 George Town

🕒 Local time

05:46 5:46 AM

17:46 5:46 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

28,089 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Cayman Islands Dollar KYD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 KYD = 1.22 USD

1 KYD = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KYD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Cayman Islands Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.82 KYD (1 KYD = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.922 KYD (1 KYD = 1.08 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket George Town 16,990 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
George Town

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 309% in total monthly costs ($1,207 vs $4,936 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1392% 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: $729 in Phuket versus $2,943 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Phuket versus $4,936 in George Town – a 309% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 261% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Phuket versus $4,936 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 309% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.