ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,174 in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $3,164 in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $4,154 in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
ðLiving in Phuket costs roughly 43% less than in Newcastle-under-Lyme, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 7% below, Newcastle-under-Lyme is 61% above.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59āļŋ147
$17.77ÂĢ13.17
-74.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83āļŋ1,501
$79.6ÂĢ59.0
-41.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.70āļŋ279
$10.66ÂĢ7.90
-18.39%
Cappuccino
$2.92āļŋ93.7
$4.40ÂĢ3.26
-33.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68āļŋ21.92
$2.53ÂĢ1.88
-73.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40āļŋ12.70
$1.76ÂĢ1.31
-77.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51āļŋ80.4
$5.63ÂĢ4.17
-55.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80āļŋ122
$5.41ÂĢ4.01
-29.76%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.16āļŋ69.3
$1.46ÂĢ1.08
47.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88āļŋ60.3
$1.56ÂĢ1.15
20.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16āļŋ69.2
$2.25ÂĢ1.67
-4.00%
Eggs
$2.22āļŋ71.2
$2.18ÂĢ1.62
1.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.57āļŋ627
$7.27ÂĢ5.39
169.19%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.80āļŋ122
$8.19ÂĢ6.07
-53.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.41āļŋ430
$11.96ÂĢ8.86
12.12%
Apples(1kg)
$3.26āļŋ104
$3.37ÂĢ2.50
-3.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61āļŋ51.7
$1.44ÂĢ1.07
11.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31āļŋ74.0
$2.60ÂĢ1.93
-11.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06āļŋ66.0
$3.04ÂĢ2.25
-32.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.61āļŋ51.5
$1.93ÂĢ1.43
-16.58%
Onion(1kg)
$1.44āļŋ46.26
$1.31ÂĢ0.97
9.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03āļŋ33.01
$1.02ÂĢ0.76
0.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48āļŋ15.39
$1.34ÂĢ0.99
-64.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50āļŋ144
$19.93ÂĢ14.77
-77.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.18āļŋ615
$9.43ÂĢ6.98
103.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82āļŋ58.4
$2.73ÂĢ2.03
-33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69āļŋ86.2
$3.27ÂĢ2.43
-17.74%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.38āļŋ44.16
$3.44ÂĢ2.55
-59.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.76āļŋ377
$86.8ÂĢ64.3
-86.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11āļŋ99.6
$3.76ÂĢ2.78
-17.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.18
$1.31ÂĢ0.97
-23.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.74āļŋ441
$20.67ÂĢ15.32
-33.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30āļŋ41.61
$1.95ÂĢ1.45
-33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4Kāļŋ877.0K
$38.4KÂĢ28.4K
-28.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0Kāļŋ1.1M
$38.7KÂĢ28.6K
-14.60%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,004
$315ÂĢ233
-60.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74āļŋ440
$18.43ÂĢ13.66
-25.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61āļŋ597
$30.79ÂĢ22.81
-39.56%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.6āļŋ1,941
$46.62ÂĢ34.54
29.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15āļŋ550
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.01āļŋ289
$11.71ÂĢ8.68
-23.06%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.4K
$1,260ÂĢ934
-44.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1Kāļŋ516.5K
$6,739ÂĢ4,994
139.08%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2āļŋ1,898
$50.2ÂĢ37.21
17.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86āļŋ1,118
$30.02ÂĢ22.24
16.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114āļŋ3,662
$85.1ÂĢ63.0
34.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8āļŋ2,751
$29.49ÂĢ21.85
190.95%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619āļŋ19.8K
$1,212ÂĢ898
-48.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437āļŋ14.0K
$991ÂĢ734
-55.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,075āļŋ66.5K
$2,033ÂĢ1,507
2.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509āļŋ48.4K
$1,729ÂĢ1,281
-12.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,764āļŋ120.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,694āļŋ86.4K
-
-
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$528āļŋ16.9K
$3,235ÂĢ2,397
-83.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.3
0.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Last update for Newcastle-under-Lyme: April 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,212 in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Newcastle-under-Lyme pays 512% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $47 in Phuket vs $80 in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $265, with Newcastle-under-Lyme cheaper for home cooking.
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 Newcastle-under-Lyme: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Phuket wins on cost â living expenses run 74% lower than in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Newcastle-under-Lyme?
On paper, Newcastle-under-Lyme earns 512% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,212 in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket â a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $80.0 in Newcastle-under-Lyme. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Newcastle-under-Lyme?
All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Phuket versus $2,174 in Newcastle-under-Lyme â a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Newcastle-under-Lyme?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,174 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value â similar infrastructure at $1,247 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Newcastle-under-Lyme 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 74% less than in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.