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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,158 in George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,912 in George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,666 in George.

Living in Phuket is roughly 6% more expensive than in George, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, George 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.06 R 181

-60.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$43.60 R 714

-26.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.11 R 83.7

74.76%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.19 R 35.84

32.42%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.04 R 17.09

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.77 R 12.53

-37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.84 R 46.51

-17.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.33 R 54.5

11.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.16 R 18.92

61.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.09 R 17.86

34.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.51 R 24.73

2.65%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.77 R 45.31

-24.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$8.72 R 143

124.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.63 R 92.3

-39.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$6.71 R 110

69.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.68 R 27.60

77.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.58 R 25.87

6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.58 R 25.91

39.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.66 R 27.21

30.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.69 R 27.67

-10.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.48 R 24.26

-9.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.35 R 22.09

-16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.03 R 16.83

-46.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.26 R 53.4

30.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$4.93 R 80.8

287.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.32 R 21.62

34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.80 R 29.49

54.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.52 R 24.96

46.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$28.53 R 467

-20.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.66 R 10.82

359.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.52 R 8.45

96.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.79 R 144

-55.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.27 R 20.86

17.32%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$31.2K R 510.2K

-14.67%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$29.7K R 485.9K

-8.90%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$125 R 2,050

-18.14%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$18.37 R 301

-38.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$46.20 R 757

-62.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$31.19 R 511

66.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$12.56 R 206

-11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.12 R 100

25.65%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$143 R 2,337

292.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,417 R 88.7K

112.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$73.9 R 1,210

-14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$39.03 R 639

-24.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$113 R 1,850

-13.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$88.8 R 1,454

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$442 R 7,236

67.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$377 R 6,180

27.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$802 R 13.1K

162.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$949 R 15.5K

29.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$889 R 14.6K

306.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$685 R 11.2K

280.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,387 R 22.7K

-64.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.92

-48.99%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for George: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $442 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 181% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in George. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $192, with George 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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 181% lower in George. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $442 in George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,158 in George – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,158 in George versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.