Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Midlands Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Midlands

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,078 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,741 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,405 in Midlands, rent included.

Phuket costs about 17% more than Midlands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$6.67 MUR 314

-31.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$44.23 MUR 2,083

5.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.20 MUR 339

17.64%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.54 MUR 119

19.29%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.95 MUR 44.91

-27.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.59 MUR 27.91

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.23 MUR 105

11.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.32 MUR 156

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.68 MUR 79.2

29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.71 MUR 33.50

167.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.32 MUR 62.1

66.67%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.35 MUR 111

-5.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.71 MUR 551

70.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.11 MUR 288

-40.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.51 MUR 589

5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.99 MUR 93.6

62.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.01 MUR 94.7

-15.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.51 MUR 71.1

58.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.71 MUR 128

-23.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.99 MUR 46.48

60.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.93 MUR 43.70

59.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.79 MUR 37.14

30.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.81 MUR 38.22

-35.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$6.50 MUR 306

-34.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$8.25 MUR 389

127.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.72 MUR 81.0

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.21 MUR 104

24.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.01 MUR 47.34

34.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$4.49 MUR 211

-30.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.75 MUR 129

-62.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$20.01 MUR 942

-31.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.40 MUR 66.0

-4.29%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-22.46%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

16.41%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$49.38 MUR 2,325

150.28%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$18.03 MUR 849

-25.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$33.05 MUR 1,556

-43.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$37.69 MUR 1,775

64.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.89 MUR 277

55.18%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$155 MUR 7,285

354.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,035 MUR 190.0K

293.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$86.4 MUR 4,069

-31.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$79.5 MUR 3,745

-55.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$130 MUR 6,128

-11.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$95.5 MUR 4,495

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$515 MUR 24.3K

20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$358 MUR 16.9K

20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$930 MUR 43.8K

121.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$717 MUR 33.8K

110.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Midlands: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $515 in Midlands. 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 $44.00 in Midlands. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $231 – making Midlands 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 Midlands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 17% more than Midlands, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,617 in Midlands. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Midlands, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $1,078 in Midlands. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $155 in Midlands. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Midlands, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Midlands it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Midlands costs $1,078 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Midlands. 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.