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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,065 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,709 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,353 in Midlands, rent included.

Phuket costs about 19% more than Midlands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.77 MUR 317

-33.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$44.86 MUR 2,101

1.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.07 MUR 331

23.90%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.55 MUR 119

16.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.96 MUR 45.02

-28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.60 MUR 28.01

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.18 MUR 102

16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.31 MUR 155

13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.69 MUR 79.1

27.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.70 MUR 32.93

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.28 MUR 60.1

70.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.25 MUR 105

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.07 MUR 565

65.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.13 MUR 287

-40.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.49 MUR 585

8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.08 MUR 97.2

55.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.93 MUR 90.4

-15.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.51 MUR 70.7

54.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.64 MUR 123

-21.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.02 MUR 48.01

51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.95 MUR 44.30

53.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.85 MUR 39.64

15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.75 MUR 35.09

-36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.76 MUR 317

-35.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$8.56 MUR 401

116.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.79 MUR 83.8

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.23 MUR 104

18.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.04 MUR 48.73

36.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.51 MUR 211

-29.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.72 MUR 128

-62.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$19.45 MUR 911

-28.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.46 MUR 68.4

-8.22%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

-21.34%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

17.18%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$48.57 MUR 2,275

153.35%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.04 MUR 845

-23.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$33.05 MUR 1,548

-44.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$37.65 MUR 1,763

61.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.88 MUR 276

50.85%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$152 MUR 7,110

353.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,018 MUR 188.2K

292.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$83.7 MUR 3,922

-29.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$79.8 MUR 3,738

-56.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$131 MUR 6,127

-11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$96.1 MUR 4,501

-12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$519 MUR 24.3K

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$347 MUR 16.2K

28.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$955 MUR 44.8K

112.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$721 MUR 33.8K

107.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Midlands: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $519 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Midlands. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 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 19% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,598 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $1,065 in Midlands. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $152 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 $1,065, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $1,065 versus $1,264 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.