🙂A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $1,637 in Georgetown, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $2,760 in Georgetown, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $3,884 in Georgetown, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 23% cheaper than Georgetown, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 9% below the global median, while Georgetown is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿151
$17.79GYD 3,699
-74.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,082
$70.6GYD 14.7K
-53.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿295
$9.56GYD 1,988
-6.90%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿93.0
$5.74GYD 1,194
-51.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.19
$1.22GYD 254
-27.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.23
$0.62GYD 128
-20.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿79.2
$1.88GYD 391
27.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿123
$3.43GYD 713
8.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿59.3
$3.31GYD 688
-45.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.81
$2.14GYD 444
-32.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.6
$2.00GYD 415
-21.00%
Eggs
$2.13฿70.5
$4.18GYD 869
-49.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿661
$15.60GYD 3,245
27.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿114
$7.14GYD 1,485
-51.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿376
$9.13GYD 1,899
24.10%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿97.8
$8.09GYD 1,682
-63.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.1
$3.94GYD 820
-56.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿77.1
$3.95GYD 821
-41.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿69.0
$7.00GYD 1,457
-70.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.77
$2.44GYD 508
-39.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿45.05
$3.10GYD 645
-56.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.45
$3.04GYD 632
-63.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿19.06
$1.68GYD 349
-66.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿142
$3.42GYD 712
24.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿611
$16.81GYD 3,496
9.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.84GYD 383
1.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.9
$2.62GYD 546
11.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿73.6
$0.55GYD 115
303.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿759
$61.0GYD 12.7K
-62.48%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$4.36GYD 906
-30.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.63
$2.33GYD 484
-54.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿130
$11.98GYD 2,491
-67.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.49
$1.02GYD 212
46.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿899.8K
$27.6KGYD 5.7M
-1.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿910.6K
$22.8KGYD 4.7M
20.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,410
$122GYD 25.4K
-15.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿365
$21.33GYD 4,435
-48.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿581
$43.92GYD 9,133
-60.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,776
$38.59GYD 8,026
38.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿371
$15.11GYD 3,142
-25.88%
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿248
$6.34GYD 1,319
17.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.5K
$1,015GYD 211.2K
-45.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿393.2K
$19.0KGYD 4.0M
-37.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,125
$37.78GYD 7,858
69.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿964
$41.31GYD 8,591
-29.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,183
$136GYD 28.3K
-29.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,997
$86.5GYD 18.0K
4.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.2K
$954GYD 198.4K
-23.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.6K
$514GYD 106.9K
-2.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿69.3K
$3,290GYD 684.2K
-36.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿40.1K
$1,312GYD 272.8K
-7.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿119.3K
$3,628GYD 754.6K
-0.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿83.3K
$1,559GYD 324.2K
61.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Georgetown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.7K
$515GYD 107.2K
-2.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.94
-19.74%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Georgetown: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $954 in Georgetown. 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 2% higher in Georgetown, 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $71.0 in Georgetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $398 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Georgetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Georgetown?
Georgetown costs about 31% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Georgetown?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $2,455 in Georgetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Georgetown?
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.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Georgetown?
Public transport costs about 167% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Georgetown?
Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $1,015 in Georgetown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Georgetown?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Georgetown at $1,637. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Georgetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Georgetown?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,253 versus $1,637 in Georgetown. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Georgetown?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or to Georgetown?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Georgetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.