Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Georgetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Georgetown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,190 in Georgetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,997 in Georgetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,803 in Georgetown.

Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than in Georgetown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Georgetown 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.58 EC$20.46

-39.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$10.88 EC$29.38

-18.75%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.52 EC$4.11

-51.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.84 EC$4.96

-78.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.51 EC$4.09

60.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.68 EC$9.93

2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.47 EC$6.67

-8.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.62 EC$4.36

11.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.66 EC$4.48

35.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$4.31 EC$11.64

-47.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.75 EC$26.33

100.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.80 EC$12.95

-23.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$14.54 EC$39.27

-10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$18.63 EC$50.3

-82.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$8.08 EC$21.82

-70.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$6.65 EC$17.96

-69.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$6.35 EC$17.14

-75.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$4.10 EC$11.08

-63.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$3.67 EC$9.92

-73.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$2.91 EC$7.87

-82.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.98 EC$16.15

-25.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.68 EC$7.23

-30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.76 EC$10.15

-28.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$2.65 EC$7.16

-46.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$110 EC$298

-89.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$37.02 EC$100.0

-61.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$36.6K EC$98.9K

-24.03%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$55.0 EC$149

-66.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$22.27 EC$60.1

171.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$18.26 EC$49.30

-7.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.44 EC$20.08

21.91%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$186 EC$502

279.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$74.1 EC$200

-20.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$110 EC$298

-67.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$184 EC$496

-37.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$149 EC$401

-43.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$294 EC$793

113.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$224 EC$606

98.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$3,083 EC$8,323

-33.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$661 EC$1,784

125.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Georgetown: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $294 in Georgetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Georgetown is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,786 in Georgetown to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $294 in Georgetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $186 in Georgetown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Georgetown runs roughly 842% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,190 in Georgetown versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Georgetown but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Georgetown the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Georgetown 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 Georgetown 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 Georgetown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.