🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,529 in Old Bridge.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $3,669 in Old Bridge.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $4,809 in Old Bridge.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 50% less than in Old Bridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Old Bridge is 90% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$16.76$16.76
-73.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$65.7$65.7
-30.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$7.97$7.97
9.91%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$3.03$3.03
-1.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$2.73$2.73
-74.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$2.13$2.13
-81.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$3.03$3.03
-16.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$3.45$3.45
8.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.46$1.46
47.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$4.53$4.53
-59.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$6.22$6.22
-64.95%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$5.33$5.33
-57.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$13.55$13.55
47.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$12.71$12.71
-71.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$14.77$14.77
-8.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$6.19$6.19
-47.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.64$1.64
-
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$5.56$5.56
-58.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$6.42$6.42
-67.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$2.89$2.89
-46.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$4.92$4.92
-70.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$2.75$2.75
-64.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$2.41$2.41
-80.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$15.17$15.17
-71.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$15.19$15.19
22.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$2.51$2.51
-25.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$3.68$3.68
-27.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$2.04$2.04
-30.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$3.02$3.02
4.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$2.14$2.14
-51.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$41.97$41.97
-66.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$0.98$0.98
36.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$25.8K$25.8K
7.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$24.5K$24.5K
36.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$163$163
-24.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$29.83$29.83
-53.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$45.21$45.21
-59.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$43.81$43.81
38.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$20.10$20.10
-55.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$1,873$1,873
-63.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$14.6K$14.6K
8.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$32.30$32.30
83.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$59.9$59.9
-42.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$68.6$68.6
67.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$98.6$98.6
-15.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$1,593$1,593
-60.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$1,366$1,366
-67.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$2,635$2,635
-22.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$2,195$2,195
-31.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$2,841$2,841
21.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$2,642$2,642
-4.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Old Bridge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$2,968$2,968
-83.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.51
-18.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Old Bridge: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,593 in Old Bridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Old Bridge pays 501% 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 $66.0 in Old Bridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $459 per month, with Phuket 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 Old Bridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Bridge cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Old Bridge?
On paper, salaries run 501% lower in Old Bridge. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Old Bridge?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $1,593 in Old Bridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $1,873 in Old Bridge. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Old Bridge?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $66.0 in Old Bridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Old Bridge?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,529 in Old Bridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Old Bridge. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Old Bridge more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Old Bridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Old Bridge?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Old Bridge 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Old Bridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.