Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lambeth

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,463 in Lambeth, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Lambeth
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,463
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Lambeth

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Lambeth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,463 in Lambeth.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Lambeth $2,463

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $3,680 in Lambeth.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Lambeth $3,680

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $4,897 in Lambeth.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Lambeth $4,897

Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Lambeth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Lambeth is 82% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$23.90 £17.93
-81.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$80.4 £60.3
-59.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$13.53 £10.15
-35.25%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$4.79 £3.59
-40.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$2.56 £1.92
-64.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$2.39 £1.79
-80.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$6.64 £4.98
-61.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$6.04 £4.53
-36.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.75 £1.32
-1.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$1.92 £1.44
-23.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$2.15 £1.61
-29.77%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$4.29 £3.22
-49.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$8.98 £6.74
119.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$10.33 £7.75
-67.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$20.21 £15.16
-44.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$4.44 £3.33
-35.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.49 £1.12
14.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$1.97 £1.48
11.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$3.38 £2.54
-39.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$1.53 £1.15
-5.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$1.93 £1.44
-28.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.52 £1.14
-29.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$1.48 £1.11
-65.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$23.18 £17.39
-81.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$11.11 £8.34
67.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$3.17 £2.38
-43.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$3.00 £2.25
-5.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$3.81 £2.86
-40.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$106 £79.9
-79.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$5.03 £3.78
-40.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$2.08 £1.56
-49.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$23.77 £17.83
-83.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$2.07 £1.55
-29.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$38.7K £29.0K
-31.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$40.3K £30.2K
-33.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$389 £292
-75.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$23.79 £17.85
-53.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$49.63 £37.23
-65.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$40.78 £30.60
27.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$18.01 £13.51
-56.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$1,356 £1,017
-59.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$23.9K £17.9K
-51.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$66.3 £49.76
-3.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$45.95 £34.47
-37.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$74.0 £55.5
28.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$79.2 £59.4
11.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$1,186 £890
-37.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$979 £735
-52.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$1,826 £1,370
14.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$1,814 £1,361
-33.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$4,320 £3,241
-19.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$3,310 £2,483
-23.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lambeth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.54
0.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lambeth: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Lambeth
$979 112% $517
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Lambeth
$334 24.3% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Lambeth
$462 271% $338
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Lambeth
$119 3.9% $4.8
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Lambeth
$354 192% $233
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Lambeth
$77 13.3% $9
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Lambeth
$137 248% $98

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $1,186 in Lambeth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Lambeth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $334 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇧 Lambeth
🕒 Local time
03:08 3:08 AM
21:08 9:08 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
6,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Lambeth 9,900 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Lambeth

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lambeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lambeth cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $3,695 in Lambeth 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Lambeth?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $1,186 in Lambeth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Lambeth?
All in, you'll spend $1,208 per month in Phuket versus $2,463 in Lambeth – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 382% less than in Lambeth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Lambeth?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,463 in Lambeth, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lambeth. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Lambeth more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lambeth, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Lambeth?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Lambeth 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Lambeth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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