Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Newtown Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Newtown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $2,167 in Newtown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $3,131 in Newtown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $4,096 in Newtown, rent included.

Phuket is about 42% cheaper than Newtown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 7% below the global median, while Newtown is 61% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59 ฿147
$13.37 £9.90
-65.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83 ฿1,501
$68.8 £51.0
-31.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿279
$10.63 £7.88
-18.16%
Cappuccino
$2.92 ฿93.7
$4.86 £3.60
-39.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ฿21.92
$2.71 £2.01
-74.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿12.70
$1.84 £1.36
-78.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ฿80.4
$6.70 £4.97
-62.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 ฿122
$7.13 £5.28
-46.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ฿69.3
$1.58 £1.17
36.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 ฿60.3
$1.64 £1.21
14.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 ฿69.2
$2.05 £1.52
5.37%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿71.2
$3.76 £2.79
-40.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.57 ฿627
$8.71 £6.46
124.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.80 ฿122
$8.99 £6.66
-57.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.41 ฿430
$10.63 £7.88
26.15%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 ฿104
$2.88 £2.14
13.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.7
$1.61 £1.19
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 ฿74.0
$2.43 £1.80
-4.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 ฿66.0
$4.63 £3.43
-55.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.5
$1.83 £1.35
-12.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 ฿46.26
$1.55 £1.15
-7.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.01
$1.40 £1.03
-26.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.39
$1.38 £1.03
-65.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 ฿144
$18.99 £14.07
-76.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.18 ฿615
$8.66 £6.42
121.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿58.4
$4.26 £3.15
-57.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 ฿86.2
$3.85 £2.85
-30.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 ฿44.16
$3.30 £2.45
-58.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿377
$88.6 £65.6
-86.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿99.6
$4.47 £3.32
-30.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 ฿32.18
$2.49 £1.85
-59.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.74 ฿441
$19.79 £14.66
-30.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ฿41.61
$1.89 £1.40
-31.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿877.0K
$24.6K £18.3K
11.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K ฿1.1M
$41.1K £30.5K
-19.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 ฿4,004
$207 £153
-39.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74 ฿440
$15.97 £11.83
-13.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61 ฿597
$46.11 £34.17
-59.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.6 ฿1,941
$46.22 £34.25
31.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15 ฿550
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.01 ฿289
$12.30 £9.11
-26.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.4K
$1,640 £1,215
-57.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K ฿516.5K
$15.0K £11.1K
7.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 ฿1,898
$60.5 £44.83
-2.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86 ฿1,118
$38.41 £28.46
-9.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ฿3,662
$74.1 £54.9
54.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,751
$86.4 £64.0
-0.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿19.8K
$1,246 £924
-50.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.0K
$1,020 £756
-57.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 ฿66.5K
$1,999 £1,481
3.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿48.4K
$1,670 £1,237
-9.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,764 ฿120.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,694 ฿86.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Newtown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$528 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
5.9
-9.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Newtown: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $1,246 in Newtown. 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 $69 in Newtown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $292 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Newtown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newtown cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Newtown is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Phuket and $3,250 in Newtown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Newtown?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $69.0 in Newtown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Newtown?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,247 in Phuket and $2,167 in Newtown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Newtown?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Newtown at $2,167. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Newtown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Newtown more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Newtown?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Newtown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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