Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Newquay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Newquay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $2,289 in Newquay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $3,394 in Newquay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $4,499 in Newquay, rent included.

Phuket is about 46% cheaper than Newquay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 7% below the global median, while Newquay is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$20.13 £14.92

-77.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,501

$80.0 £59.3

-41.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$9.65 £7.15

-9.84%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$4.32 £3.20

-32.41%

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

$0.68 ฿21.92

$2.37 £1.76

-71.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.70

$1.71 £1.27

-76.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.4

$6.15 £4.56

-59.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$5.29 £3.92

-28.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.3

$1.66 £1.23

30.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$1.28 £0.95

46.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$2.52 £1.86

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.2

$3.44 £2.55

-35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$9.96 £7.38

96.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.85 £5.08

-44.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$13.84 £10.26

-3.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$2.82 £2.09

15.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.7

$1.49 £1.10

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿74.0

$2.33 £1.72

-0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿66.0

$2.27 £1.68

-9.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.70 £1.26

-5.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.26

$1.32 £0.98

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.01

$0.94 £0.70

9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.39

$1.45 £1.07

-66.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$17.50 £12.96

-74.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿615

$11.10 £8.23

72.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.60 £1.93

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$2.63 £1.95

2.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.16

$3.33 £2.47

-58.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

$86.8 £64.3

-86.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.6

$4.16 £3.08

-25.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.18

$2.45 £1.82

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿441

$26.10 £19.34

-47.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.61

$1.97 £1.46

-34.01%

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

$27.4K ฿877.0K

$37.8K £28.0K

-27.69%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$39.5K £29.3K

-16.41%

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

$125 ฿4,004

$347 £257

-64.06%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$16.11 £11.93

-14.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿597

$45.55 £33.75

-59.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,941

$47.38 £35.11

27.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿550

$10.27 £7.61

66.99%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$11.54 £8.55

-21.92%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$2,320 £1,719

-69.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.5K

$24.8K £18.4K

-35.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,898

$87.8 £65.1

-32.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,118

$48.35 £35.83

-27.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,662

$101 £75.0

12.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,751

$91.9 £68.1

-6.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

$1,210 £897

-48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

$993 £736

-56.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

$2,007 £1,487

3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

$1,699 £1,259

-11.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.82

-8.42%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Newquay: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $1,210 in Newquay. 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 in Phuket versus $80 in Newquay. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $272 in Newquay – so Newquay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Newquay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,247 in Phuket, $2,289 in Newquay – roughly 84% apart. Newquay costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Phuket and $3,434 in Newquay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $1,247 in Phuket and $2,289 in Newquay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 638% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Newquay at $2,289. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Newquay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,247 in Phuket to $2,289 in Newquay. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Newquay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.