😐A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $539 in Hurghada, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,008 in Hurghada, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,477 in Hurghada, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 134% more than Hurghada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Hurghada are more affordable than the global median – Phuket5% lower, Hurghada59% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$4.04E£204
10.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,525
$38.81E£1,965
17.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿293
$5.97E£302
46.73%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.3
$1.64E£83.1
81.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.96
$0.37E£18.95
86.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.07
$0.14E£6.94
178.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.7
$2.04E£103
24.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$2.61E£132
43.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.8
$0.95E£47.94
126.32%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.7
$0.61E£31.03
198.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.1
$1.05E£53.3
107.62%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.2
$2.10E£106
7.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿669
$3.40E£172
488.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$6.58E£333
-44.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿453
$9.81E£497
38.23%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿109
$1.37E£69.6
136.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.7
$0.46E£23.42
256.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.0
$0.43E£21.74
441.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.3
$0.61E£30.87
239.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$0.50E£25.46
210.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.67
$0.55E£27.80
165.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.94
$0.28E£14.13
250.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.13
$0.16E£8.21
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿146
$1.95E£98.7
123.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿621
$7.66E£388
142.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.1
$1.21E£61.0
53.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.8
$1.84E£93.1
44.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.40
$0.11E£5.34
1190.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿387
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$0.41E£20.90
673.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.51
$0.20E£10.29
415.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿465
$1.95E£98.6
612.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.96
$0.35E£17.80
282.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿929.6K
$17.6KE£891.5K
57.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$33.7KE£1.7M
-1.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,116
$25.72E£1,302
378.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿461
$8.69E£440
58.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿613
$12.88E£652
42.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,030
$26.87E£1,360
125.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿574
$7.00E£354
145.14%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿297
$3.35E£170
164.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿23.0K
$98.1E£4,965
601.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿527.8K
$584E£29.5K
2604.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,984
$11.18E£566
430.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,160
$19.49E£986
77.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,853
$108E£5,486
6.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,802
$49.78E£2,520
68.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.8K
$264E£13.4K
135.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$133E£6,725
235.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿68.0K
$259E£13.1K
683.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿50.0K
$440E£22.2K
240.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.6K
$558E£28.2K
519.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.7K
$639E£32.3K
296.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hurghada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$161E£8,139
207.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
16.67
-68.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Hurghada: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $264 in Hurghada. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 207% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Hurghada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $146 – making Hurghada 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 Hurghada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hurghada cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 134%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $809 in Hurghada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hurghada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Hurghada?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $539 in Hurghada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $98.1 in Hurghada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Hurghada?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hurghada, where all-in costs run around $539, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Hurghada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Hurghada more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Hurghada – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Hurghada?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Hurghada. 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.