Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gordon Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gordon Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $886 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,422 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,958 in Gordon Town, rent included.

Phuket costs about 43% more than Gordon Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Gordon Town are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Gordon Town 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$7.72 JMD 1,214

-39.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$63.4 JMD 9,974

-28.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.73 JMD 1,372

-3.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$4.39 JMD 691

-33.26%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.37 JMD 215

-49.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.70 JMD 110

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.56 JMD 403

-5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.04 JMD 479

22.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$4.39 JMD 690

-49.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$3.48 JMD 548

-47.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.61 JMD 253

34.78%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.48 JMD 547

-36.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.13 JMD 1,750

77.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.53 JMD 1,027

-44.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.45 JMD 1,171

81.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.98 JMD 941

-45.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$2.98 JMD 468

-45.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.11 JMD 647

-41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.06 JMD 482

-32.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.11 JMD 332

-27.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$2.00 JMD 314

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$3.02 JMD 475

-67.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.49 JMD 234

-65.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$8.69 JMD 1,367

-49.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.31 JMD 1,779

71.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.80 JMD 440

-36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$3.09 JMD 486

-12.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.13 JMD 178

167.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$3.10 JMD 487

-68.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.40 JMD 1,007

120.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.23 JMD 193

10.57%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

-33.12%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-2.35%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$163 JMD 25.6K

-25.32%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$21.76 JMD 3,421

-37.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$51.3 JMD 8,061

-64.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$13.00 JMD 2,044

-33.15%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$226 JMD 35.6K

206.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,513 JMD 395.2K

524.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$25.73 JMD 4,046

131.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$25.31 JMD 3,980

37.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

63.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

10.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gordon Town: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $63.0 in Gordon Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $350 – 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 Gordon Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,329 in Gordon Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $63.0 in Gordon Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gordon Town, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Gordon Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gordon Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Gordon Town. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.