Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and LewesCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lewes
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $2,232 in Lewes, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $3,394 in Lewes, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $4,556 in Lewes, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 43% cheaper than Lewes, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Lewes is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$20.55£15.27
-77.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$93.2£69.3
-51.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$9.76£7.25
-13.63%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$4.63£3.44
-36.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$2.16£1.61
-68.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.64£1.22
-77.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$7.99£5.94
-69.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$6.98£5.19
-46.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.37£1.02
62.77%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.32£0.98
38.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$2.10£1.56
3.33%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$3.56£2.65
-37.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$9.98£7.42
97.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$8.10£6.02
-55.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$12.80£9.52
5.70%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.00£2.23
9.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.55£1.15
3.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.81£2.09
-14.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.24£2.41
-35.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.44£1.07
6.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.44£1.07
2.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.00£0.75
-1.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.46£1.08
-65.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$20.45£15.20
-78.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$11.29£8.39
71.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.36£1.76
-24.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.60£1.93
4.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$3.36£2.49
-59.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$88.1£65.5
-87.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$4.57£3.39
-33.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$1.69£1.26
-41.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$23.23£17.27
-39.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.90£1.41
-28.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$37.8K£28.1K
-25.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$42.4K£31.5K
-22.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$222£165
-45.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$18.29£13.59
-25.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$39.30£29.21
-53.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$46.30£34.41
30.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$13.72£10.20
24.93%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$13.79£10.25
-36.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$1,782£1,324
-61.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$19.0K£14.1K
-17.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$83.2£61.8
-28.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$42.55£31.63
-18.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$109£80.7
5.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$78.7£58.5
5.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,247£927
-50.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$999£743
-56.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$2,050£1,524
2.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,710£1,271
-11.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$5,942£4,417
-36.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$4,033£2,998
-35.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lewes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$4,572£3,398
-88.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.53
-3.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Lewes: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $1,247 in Lewes. 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 800% higher in Lewes, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $93.0 in Lewes. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $278 in Lewes – so Lewes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Lewes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lewes cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Lewes is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $3,348 in Lewes. 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 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 kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $1,782 in Lewes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Lewes?
Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Lewes – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Lewes?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Lewes at $2,232. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lewes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Lewes more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Lewes?
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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lewes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.