Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Milton Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Milton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,044 in Milton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $4,159 in Milton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $5,275 in Milton.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 58% less than in Milton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Milton is 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$14.65 CA$20.36

-67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$72.4 CA$101

-37.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$12.96 CA$18.01

-34.95%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.86 CA$5.36

-24.09%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$3.23 CA$4.49

-78.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$2.50 CA$3.48

-85.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$8.00 CA$11.12

-69.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.40 CA$7.51

-31.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.50 CA$3.48

-10.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.61 CA$3.63

-29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$4.55 CA$6.32

-52.31%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.47 CA$4.83

-36.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.61 CA$9.18

198.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$29.96 CA$41.63

-87.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$19.04 CA$26.46

-28.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.60 CA$7.79

-41.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.57 CA$2.18

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.91 CA$4.05

-17.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.29 CA$4.57

-36.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.04 CA$1.45

47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.26 CA$1.75

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.65 CA$2.30

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$2.27 CA$3.16

-77.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$12.57 CA$17.46

-64.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$13.56 CA$18.83

42.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.26 CA$3.13

-21.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.70 CA$3.76

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$2.93 CA$4.07

-53.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$45.77 CA$63.6

-75.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.13 CA$4.35

-3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.45 CA$2.01

-31.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$37.15 CA$51.6

-62.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.09 CA$1.52

24.77%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$24.8K CA$34.5K

13.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.2K CA$33.7K

35.83%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$247 CA$343

-50.65%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$60.4 CA$83.9

-77.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$67.7 CA$94.1

-72.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$33.36 CA$46.35

80.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$16.87 CA$23.43

-48.49%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$556 CA$772

24.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$11.8K CA$16.4K

33.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$57.5 CA$79.9

3.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$53.7 CA$74.6

-35.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$95.0 CA$132

20.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$129 CA$180

-35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,783 CA$2,477

-65.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,672 CA$2,323

-73.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$2,588 CA$3,595

-19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$2,288 CA$3,179

-34.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$4,840 CA$6,724

-22.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$4,220 CA$5,863

-38.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$3,162 CA$4,393

-83.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.8

-21.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Milton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,783 in Milton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 522% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $72.0 in Milton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $459 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 Milton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Milton differ by about 141% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $3,044 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Milton earns 522% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $1,783 in Milton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 302% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $556 in Milton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,044 in Milton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Milton. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Milton 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 141% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.