😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $691 in New Cairo.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,015 in New Cairo.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,339 in New Cairo.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 81% more expensive than in New Cairo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, New Cairo48% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$3.92E£200
16.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$20.13E£1,028
129.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$4.81E£245
83.78%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.50E£76.5
104.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.36E£18.47
102.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.15E£7.64
166.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$1.35E£68.8
80.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.79E£143
35.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$0.92E£47.16
145.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$0.63E£32.38
187.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$0.72E£36.98
212.50%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.47E£74.9
53.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$3.97E£202
391.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$4.51E£230
-19.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$9.07E£463
43.88%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.56E£79.5
107.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$0.55E£28.17
194.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$0.47E£23.96
406.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$0.41E£21.18
395.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$0.50E£25.63
206.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$0.40E£20.52
275.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.22E£11.22
345.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.22E£11.18
136.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$2.04E£104
117.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$9.18E£468
99.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.30E£66.5
43.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$1.86E£94.9
44.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$0.18E£8.99
683.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$0.41E£21.02
658.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.31E£15.98
235.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$2.00E£102
605.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$0.33E£17.05
296.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$35.3KE£1.8M
-21.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$33.6KE£1.7M
-1.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$25.21E£1,287
385.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$7.09E£362
91.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$11.37E£580
64.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$25.03E£1,278
141.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$6.77E£346
150.81%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$3.62E£185
150.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$90.8E£4,636
677.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$1,950E£99.5K
710.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$31.42E£1,604
86.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$49.25E£2,514
-28.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$107E£5,473
7.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$51.3E£2,621
63.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$348E£17.8K
79.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$279E£14.2K
59.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$505E£25.8K
303.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$410E£21.0K
263.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$1,254E£64.0K
177.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$682E£34.8K
278.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
New Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$194E£9,895
157.89%
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for New Cairo: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $348 in New Cairo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 158% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in New Cairo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $136 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 81% 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 in New Cairo?
Average pay runs 158% higher in Phuket, 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 compared to New Cairo?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $348 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 in New Cairo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 113% 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 $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $691 in New Cairo – a 81% 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 in New Cairo?
At $691 in New Cairo versus $1,250 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 $691 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 81% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.