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 $1,243 per month in Phuket vs $1,048 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Phuket vs $1,705 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Phuket vs $2,362 in Gordon Town, rent included.

Phuket costs about 19% more than Gordon Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Gordon Town are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Gordon Town 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ฿147

$16.09 JMD 2,543

-72.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.87 ฿1,107

$75.8 JMD 12.0K

-56.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 ฿283

$8.62 JMD 1,362

-2.67%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿92.1

$5.19 JMD 820

-47.40%

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

$0.88 ฿29.70

$1.15 JMD 182

-23.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.97

$0.68 JMD 107

-30.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.3

$2.27 JMD 358

3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿125

$3.19 JMD 504

16.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿61.7

$4.20 JMD 664

-56.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.75

$3.68 JMD 581

-60.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿53.1

$1.65 JMD 261

-4.24%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.7

$3.47 JMD 549

-39.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.37 ฿652

$11.66 JMD 1,842

66.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿115

$6.30 JMD 995

-45.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 ฿369

$10.23 JMD 1,617

7.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ฿101

$6.11 JMD 966

-50.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.1

$3.98 JMD 629

-58.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.3

$7.59 JMD 1,199

-70.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.5

$3.10 JMD 490

-31.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.52

$3.15 JMD 498

-53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.53

$2.63 JMD 416

-49.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿36.06

$3.17 JMD 500

-66.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.68

$1.46 JMD 231

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿148

$9.72 JMD 1,535

-54.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ฿626

$11.58 JMD 1,830

60.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿58.8

$2.93 JMD 463

-40.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿96.2

$4.06 JMD 641

-29.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿774

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿99.1

$1.23 JMD 195

139.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.96

$3.20 JMD 506

-66.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$6.42 JMD 1,014

-40.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿49.14

$1.34 JMD 212

8.96%

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

$27.2K ฿915.5K

$44.3K JMD 7.0M

-38.68%

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

$26.6K ฿896.7K

$32.8K JMD 5.2M

-18.74%

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

$102 ฿3,433

$173 JMD 27.3K

-41.04%

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

$10.96 ฿369

$29.87 JMD 4,719

-63.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.89 ฿569

$53.1 JMD 8,390

-68.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,765

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ฿253

$13.19 JMD 2,084

-42.99%

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

$547 ฿18.4K

$363 JMD 57.4K

50.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.9K

$8,095 JMD 1.3M

39.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ฿2,129

$23.55 JMD 3,720

168.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ฿984

$31.40 JMD 4,961

-6.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ฿3,294

$79.1 JMD 12.5K

23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 ฿2,919

$102 JMD 16.1K

-14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 ฿40.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Last update for Gordon Town: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $76.0 in Gordon Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $388 – 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 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,865 per month in Phuket and $1,571 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 $33.00 in Phuket and $76.0 in Gordon Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 44% 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 $1,048, than in Phuket at $1,243. 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.