ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,259 in Griffith.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,252 in Griffith.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,244 in Griffith.
ðLiving in Phuket costs roughly 45% less than in Griffith, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Griffith is 69% above.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$16.08A$22.51
-71.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$78.1A$109
-40.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$9.96A$13.94
-11.24%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$3.35A$4.69
-10.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$2.54A$3.56
-70.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$2.21A$3.10
-83.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$6.32A$8.85
-61.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$7.26A$10.17
-50.28%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.42A$1.98
59.15%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$2.34A$3.28
-21.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$2.03A$2.84
10.34%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$4.42A$6.19
-47.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$8.55A$11.97
130.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$8.47A$11.86
-56.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$13.70A$19.18
-4.38%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$3.20A$4.48
5.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$2.87A$4.02
-42.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$2.88A$4.03
-16.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$3.99A$5.59
-49.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$2.43A$3.41
-35.80%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$2.08A$2.91
-27.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$2.15A$3.02
-52.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$1.58A$2.22
-68.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$31.25A$43.75
-85.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$14.29A$20.00
32.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$4.63A$6.48
-61.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$5.40A$7.56
-49.07%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$2.57A$3.60
-45.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$65.1A$91.2
-82.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$3.62A$5.06
-13.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$1.54A$2.16
-35.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$33.62A$47.07
-58.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.17A$1.64
15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$28.9KA$40.4K
-5.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$22.1KA$31.0K
48.72%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$183A$256
-31.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$27.32A$38.24
-50.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$51.9A$72.7
-64.34%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$49.23A$68.9
24.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$15.97A$22.36
5.45%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$12.84A$17.98
-28.43%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$1,607A$2,249
-56.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$12.3KA$17.2K
27.07%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$68.2A$95.4
-15.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$51.2A$71.6
-31.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$97.9A$137
15.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$109A$152
-20.60%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$1,244A$1,742
-50.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$1,046A$1,465
-57.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$2,039A$2,855
0.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$1,700A$2,380
-12.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$5,644A$7,901
-33.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$5,199A$7,279
-49.05%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Griffith
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.34
-15.93%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Griffith: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,244 in Griffith. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $78.0 in Griffith for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $339 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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 Griffith: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Griffith?
Phuket and Griffith differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,259 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable â a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Griffith?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $3,389 in Griffith 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Griffith?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,244 in Griffith. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and Griffith?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 467% less than in Griffith. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Griffith?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $1,607 in Griffith. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,259 in Griffith, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Griffith. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Griffith?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better â the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Griffith safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Griffith are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Griffith?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 83% less than in Griffith. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.