🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,639 in Hastings.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,540 in Hastings.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,442 in Hastings.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Hastings, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Hastings is 97% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$20.59£15.34
-77.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$78.7£58.6
-42.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$11.43£8.51
-26.25%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$4.48£3.33
-34.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$2.67£1.99
-74.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$1.34£0.99
-72.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$6.93£5.16
-65.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$6.71£4.99
-44.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$0.71£0.53
214.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.42£1.06
28.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$2.80£2.08
-22.50%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$3.34£2.49
-33.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$9.40£7.00
110.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$9.28£6.92
-60.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$13.35£9.94
1.35%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.31£1.72
41.99%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$1.60£1.19
0.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.50£1.86
-3.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.61£2.69
-42.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.82£1.36
-15.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.21£0.90
22.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$0.99£0.74
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$2.30£1.71
-77.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$17.70£13.19
-75.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$6.81£5.07
184.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.93£2.18
-39.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$3.37£2.51
-19.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$2.68£1.99
-48.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$89.5£66.7
-87.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$5.12£3.81
-41.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$1.67£1.25
-40.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$40.01£29.80
-64.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.94£1.44
-29.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$20.4K£15.2K
38.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$33.1K£24.7K
-0.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$334£249
-63.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$18.87£14.05
-28.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$26.88£20.02
-31.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$46.31£34.49
30.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$47.76£35.57
-64.11%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$12.37£9.21
-29.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$1,552£1,156
-55.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$18.2K£13.5K
-13.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$81.5£60.7
-26.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$40.86£30.43
-14.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$119£88.6
-3.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$148£110
-43.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,470£1,095
-58.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$1,305£972
-66.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$2,045£1,523
2.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,519£1,131
-0.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$13.7K£10.2K
-72.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hastings
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$3,444£2,565
-85.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.62
-5.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Hastings: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,470 in Hastings. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hastings pays 578% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $79.0 in Hastings. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $284, with Hastings cheaper for home cooking.
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 Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Hastings?
Phuket and Hastings differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $2,639 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Hastings earns 578% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Hastings?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,470 in Hastings. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Hastings?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $2,639 in Hastings – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and Hastings?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 686% less than in Hastings. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,639 in Hastings, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Hastings. 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 Hastings?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Hastings safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Hastings 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 Hastings?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Hastings. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.