Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and New Cairo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and New Cairo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $670 in New Cairo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,017 in New Cairo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,364 in New Cairo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 89% more expensive than New Cairo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, New Cairo 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿153
$3.90 E£202
20.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,482
$20.06 E£1,039
126.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿275
$5.02 E£260
67.93%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.6
$1.56 E£80.7
87.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.40
$0.34 E£17.40
102.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.99
$0.13 E£6.73
184.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.6
$1.41 E£73.1
70.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$2.71 E£140
37.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿72.9
$0.88 E£45.54
153.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.8
$0.60 E£30.86
205.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.8
$0.68 E£35.43
219.12%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.3
$1.52 E£78.7
45.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$3.89 E£202
407.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$4.35 E£226
-16.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$9.01 E£467
50.17%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$1.51 E£78.3
117.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.6
$0.57 E£29.38
182.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.6
$0.51 E£26.60
372.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$0.39 E£20.11
433.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.93
$0.50 E£25.68
206.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.36
$0.44 E£22.71
236.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.29
$0.22 E£11.35
350.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.67
$0.20 E£10.24
155.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$1.94 E£101
127.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿633
$8.71 E£451
122.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$1.30 E£67.3
36.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.6
$1.85 E£95.6
46.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.79
$0.23 E£11.69
495.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.6
$0.42 E£21.73
619.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.48
$0.31 E£16.07
219.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$1.96 E£102
619.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.51
$0.30 E£15.76
353.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.1K
$35.7K E£1.8M
-20.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$33.5K E£1.7M
-1.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,975
$25.29 E£1,310
381.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿443
$7.10 E£368
91.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿598
$11.26 E£583
62.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,967
$24.90 E£1,290
141.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$6.73 E£349
154.68%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$3.51 E£182
147.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.6K
$91.8 E£4,756
655.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.3K
$1,994 E£103.3K
686.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,944
$31.73 E£1,644
87.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,136
$49.38 E£2,558
-29.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,743
$107 E£5,535
7.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,720
$50.2 E£2,598
66.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$337 E£17.5K
81.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$286 E£14.8K
52.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.4K
$505 E£26.1K
315.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$422 E£21.8K
257.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.5K
$1,211 E£62.7K
209.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.4K
$676 E£35.0K
286.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
$191 E£9,896
165.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
16.67
-68.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for New Cairo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $337 in New Cairo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 166% 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 $20.00 in New Cairo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $132 per month, with New Cairo 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 New Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or New Cairo?
New Cairo wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making New Cairo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or New Cairo?
Phuket pays 166% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs New Cairo?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $337 in New Cairo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or New Cairo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to New Cairo?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $670 in New Cairo – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or New Cairo?
At $670 in New Cairo versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in New Cairo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes New Cairo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or New Cairo?
Both work as nomad bases, but New Cairo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $670 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes New Cairo hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to New Cairo?
Safety-wise, Phuket and New Cairo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find New Cairo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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