🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,422 in Gros Islet.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,157 in Gros Islet.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,893 in Gros Islet.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 12% less than in Gros Islet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Gros Islet is 3% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$7.33EC$19.80
-37.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,072
$58.1EC$157
-43.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$9.36EC$25.27
-4.91%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$4.32EC$11.66
-35.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.93
$1.87EC$5.04
-52.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$1.88EC$5.07
-73.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$2.83EC$7.65
-15.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$3.67EC$9.91
1.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.7
$2.60EC$7.03
-31.15%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.38
$1.74EC$4.69
-17.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$1.98EC$5.36
-20.20%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$4.89EC$13.21
-56.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$12.78EC$34.52
55.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$15.61EC$42.14
-78.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$15.76EC$42.54
-28.11%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿96.9
$5.86EC$15.83
-49.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$1.65EC$4.45
4.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.4
$2.25EC$6.07
3.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$2.16EC$5.82
-3.70%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.33
$2.16EC$5.83
-31.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.64
$2.17EC$5.85
-37.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.12
$5.51EC$14.89
-80.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$1.80EC$4.86
-68.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$6.05EC$16.33
-29.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿605
$14.94EC$40.33
23.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.0
$4.54EC$12.27
-35.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿72.9
$0.92EC$2.48
141.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
-
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.31
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.04
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿891.7K
$33.6KEC$90.7K
-19.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.3K
$43.5KEC$117.6K
-36.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,379
$239EC$646
-57.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$38.63EC$104
-71.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$55.6EC$150
-68.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$43.57EC$118
22.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$6.93EC$18.71
7.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,106
$18.17EC$49.05
252.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$11.00EC$29.71
164.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,154
$74.1EC$200
29.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$75.3EC$203
20.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$589EC$1,589
24.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$403EC$1,087
24.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$998EC$2,694
109.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.7K
$651EC$1,759
85.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Gros Islet
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.5K
$734EC$1,983
-31.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Gros Islet: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $589 in Gros Islet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gros Islet pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Gros Islet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $387 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 Gros Islet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Gros Islet?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Gros Islet. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Gros Islet?
On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Gros Islet. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Gros Islet?
Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $589 in Gros Islet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Gros Islet?
All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $1,422 in Gros Islet – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Gros Islet?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Gros Islet. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Gros Islet?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,422 in Gros Islet, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Gros Islet. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Gros Islet?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,253 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Gros Islet?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Gros Islet are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Gros Islet. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.