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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,075 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,755 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,434 in Midlands, rent included.

Phuket costs about 15% more than Midlands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.71 MUR 314

-31.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$44.01 MUR 2,059

6.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.20 MUR 337

22.78%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.69 MUR 126

11.52%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.95 MUR 44.31

-22.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.60 MUR 28.09

-38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.24 MUR 105

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.21 MUR 150

12.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.67 MUR 78.2

35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.71 MUR 32.99

159.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.27 MUR 59.4

76.38%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.25 MUR 105

3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$12.06 MUR 564

63.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.22 MUR 291

-41.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$12.70 MUR 594

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.04 MUR 95.5

66.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.04 MUR 95.4

-19.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.45 MUR 68.1

66.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.64 MUR 124

-23.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.99 MUR 46.22

57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.93 MUR 43.36

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.84 MUR 39.31

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.81 MUR 37.88

-39.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$6.78 MUR 317

-34.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.37 MUR 392

125.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.71 MUR 80.1

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.14 MUR 100

28.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.03 MUR 48.30

35.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.37 MUR 205

-28.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.74 MUR 128

-63.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$19.93 MUR 933

-29.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.45 MUR 68.0

-6.90%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

-22.54%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

14.90%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$48.65 MUR 2,276

156.90%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$18.58 MUR 869

-26.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$33.46 MUR 1,566

-44.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$37.83 MUR 1,770

62.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.01 MUR 281

52.91%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$152 MUR 7,117

359.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,933 MUR 184.0K

296.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$85.0 MUR 3,975

-32.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$78.3 MUR 3,664

-55.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$133 MUR 6,243

-15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$93.9 MUR 4,391

-7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$509 MUR 23.8K

20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$357 MUR 16.7K

25.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$932 MUR 43.6K

119.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$730 MUR 34.1K

104.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Midlands: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $509 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: $292 vs $232 – 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 15% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,613 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $1,075 in Midlands. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 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 $1,075, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,075 versus $1,232 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.