😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $843 in George Town.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,306 in George Town.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,769 in George Town.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, George Town37% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$3.02MYR 11.93
53.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$21.35MYR 84.3
119.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$4.27MYR 16.86
107.03%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.62MYR 10.35
14.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.77MYR 3.03
-3.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.36MYR 1.44
2.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$4.36MYR 17.20
-44.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$4.68MYR 18.49
-22.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.82MYR 7.21
24.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.12MYR 4.43
64.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.67MYR 6.60
34.13%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.10MYR 8.31
10.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$17.50MYR 69.1
12.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$4.97MYR 19.65
-26.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$10.47MYR 41.35
25.12%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.86MYR 11.30
18.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.40MYR 5.53
17.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.25MYR 8.90
7.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.28MYR 5.04
58.59%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.87MYR 3.44
79.31%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.16MYR 4.57
29.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.70MYR 2.76
45.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.52MYR 2.04
-5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$4.18MYR 16.51
6.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$12.70MYR 50.2
48.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.64MYR 10.45
-32.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.36MYR 13.29
-18.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.49MYR 1.93
185.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$11.80MYR 46.62
-2.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$1.16MYR 4.59
168.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.44MYR 1.73
127.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$6.39MYR 25.26
120.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.49MYR 1.94
175.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$34.1KMYR 134.6K
-20.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$25.0KMYR 98.7K
31.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$38.18MYR 151
227.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$9.68MYR 38.23
40.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$28.98MYR 114
-36.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$38.37MYR 152
60.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$3.78MYR 14.94
345.50%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$4.13MYR 16.30
122.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$146MYR 578
377.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$4,643MYR 18.3K
235.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$52.5MYR 207
10.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$28.61MYR 113
23.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$62.5MYR 247
80.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$52.1MYR 206
65.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$371MYR 1,465
66.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$253MYR 999
76.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$709MYR 2,799
188.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$498MYR 1,969
199.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
George Town
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$1,112MYR 4,393
-52.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.16
28.13%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para George Town: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $371 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰George Town pays 112% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $251 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Phuket vs George Town: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is George Town cheaper than Phuket?
George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or George Town?
On paper, George Town earns 112% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and George Town?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $371 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 3% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $146 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or George Town?
At $843 in George Town versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or George Town more family-friendly?
For families, George Town 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 George Town?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.