Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,413 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,451 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,490 in London.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 49% less than in London, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, London is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$21.91 CA$30.65

-79.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$64.4 CA$90.1

-49.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$12.45 CA$17.42

-28.27%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.79 CA$5.30

-23.48%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.22 CA$3.11

-60.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.20 CA$3.08

-78.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$6.34 CA$8.87

-62.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$6.55 CA$9.17

-43.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.02 CA$2.83

-7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.60 CA$3.63

-43.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$4.05 CA$5.66

-61.73%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.78 CA$5.28

-44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.17 CA$14.23

92.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$11.83 CA$16.55

-71.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$15.37 CA$21.50

-25.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.36 CA$6.09

-31.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.38 CA$1.93

21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.93 CA$5.50

-43.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.10 CA$5.74

-47.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$3.14 CA$4.39

-51.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$3.17 CA$4.44

-57.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.51 CA$3.51

-54.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.48 CA$2.08

-62.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$12.05 CA$16.86

-64.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.34 CA$17.27

54.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.55 CA$3.57

-30.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.87 CA$4.02

-3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$2.37 CA$3.31

-5.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$81.3 CA$114

-72.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.58 CA$3.61

17.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.65 CA$2.31

-38.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$22.58 CA$31.59

-82.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.23 CA$1.72

21.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$28.1K CA$39.4K

-5.52%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$24.1K CA$33.7K

12.33%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 ฿3,420

$139 CA$194

-26.03%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.33 ฿378

$41.37 CA$57.9

-72.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$56.4 CA$78.9

-69.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$38.15 CA$53.4

36.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$28.95 CA$40.50

-61.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$10.73 CA$15.00

-28.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 ฿18.7K

$426 CA$596

31.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$20.5K CA$28.6K

-43.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$54.0 CA$75.5

16.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$39.82 CA$55.7

-25.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$83.6 CA$117

17.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$91.0 CA$127

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,271 CA$1,778

-41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,156 CA$1,617

-58.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$2,109 CA$2,951

-0.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,697 CA$2,375

-27.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$3,526 CA$4,932

2.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$3,696 CA$5,170

-29.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$2,971 CA$4,156

-83.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.72

18.01%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for London: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,271 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 502% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $366 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 502% lower in London. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,271 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,413 in London – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 257% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,413 in London, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.