🙂A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,293 in Hillcrest, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,873 in Hillcrest, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,453 in Hillcrest, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 5% cheaper than Hillcrest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Hillcrest are more affordable than the global median – Phuket8% lower, Hillcrest3% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$7.59R 126
-39.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,523
$28.38R 470
65.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿287
$4.98R 82.5
77.51%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿97.4
$1.99R 32.88
50.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.11
$0.94R 15.62
-21.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.88
$0.67R 11.13
-44.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.3
$1.95R 32.20
25.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿117
$2.17R 35.97
66.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.5
$0.91R 15.13
148.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿59.8
$0.58R 9.67
217.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.0
$1.15R 19.04
94.78%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.3
$2.21R 36.57
4.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿639
$7.33R 121
168.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$3.98R 65.8
-8.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿426
$6.31R 104
107.61%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿110
$1.41R 23.33
140.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.4
$1.13R 18.71
45.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.5
$1.32R 21.78
82.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.0
$1.30R 21.46
56.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.6
$1.26R 20.78
23.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.66
$1.17R 19.35
28.21%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.30
$1.02R 16.92
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿15.91
$0.81R 13.43
-39.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.82R 46.60
57.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿614
$4.56R 75.5
314.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿57.7
$1.41R 23.42
26.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿89.5
$1.69R 27.99
62.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.54
$1.68R 27.87
-16.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿373
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿101
$1.64R 27.21
90.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.48
$0.58R 9.54
72.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿458
$6.56R 109
114.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿43.93
$1.32R 21.87
2.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿883.7K
$19.8KR 328.4K
37.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$23.9KR 396.3K
37.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,063
$145R 2,405
-13.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿441
$29.75R 492
-54.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿602
$33.40R 553
-44.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿1,999
$30.61R 507
100.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿299
$6.77R 112
35.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.7K
$208R 3,450
234.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿506.9K
$4,538R 75.1K
243.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$42.15R 698
37.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,146
$29.88R 495
17.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,677
$95.5R 1,581
18.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,808
$72.7R 1,203
18.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.0K
$360R 5,957
71.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.5K
$675R 11.2K
-33.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿66.6K
$691R 11.4K
196.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.5K
$1,134R 18.8K
31.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿122.8K
$707R 11.7K
434.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.1K
$592R 9,792
347.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hillcrest
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12.01
-55.62%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Hillcrest: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $360 in Hillcrest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Hillcrest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $154 – making Hillcrest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Phuket vs Hillcrest: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
How do living costs in Phuket and Hillcrest compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,293 in Hillcrest – roughly 5% apart. Hillcrest costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Hillcrest?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,940 in Hillcrest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Hillcrest?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $28.00 in Hillcrest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 89% cheaper in Hillcrest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Hillcrest at $1,293. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hillcrest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Hillcrest?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $1,293 in Hillcrest. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Hillcrest safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Hillcrest?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hillcrest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.