Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Old Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Old Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,030 in Old Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,729 in Old Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,428 in Old Harbour.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than in Old Harbour, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Old Harbour 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$16.02 JMD 2,510

-72.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$76.7 JMD 12.0K

-57.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.77 JMD 1,374

1.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$5.49 JMD 861

-47.18%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.17 JMD 183

-24.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.69 JMD 109

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$2.18 JMD 342

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.25 JMD 510

14.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$4.15 JMD 651

-54.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$3.77 JMD 590

-61.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.59 JMD 249

-2.52%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$3.63 JMD 569

-42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$11.69 JMD 1,832

67.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.16 JMD 965

-44.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$10.19 JMD 1,596

11.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$6.26 JMD 980

-52.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$4.03 JMD 631

-58.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$7.36 JMD 1,154

-69.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$2.99 JMD 468

-27.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$3.32 JMD 521

-54.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$2.74 JMD 430

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$3.02 JMD 474

-62.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$1.51 JMD 237

-63.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$9.54 JMD 1,495

-55.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$11.52 JMD 1,806

65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$2.89 JMD 453

-38.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$4.11 JMD 644

-32.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.18 JMD 185

156.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$3.24 JMD 507

-68.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$6.25 JMD 980

-37.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.37 JMD 214

8.76%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

-39.61%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-18.88%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$176 JMD 27.6K

-41.90%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$30.18 JMD 4,730

-62.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$53.7 JMD 8,421

-67.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$13.56 JMD 2,125

-43.29%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$362 JMD 56.8K

54.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$8,258 JMD 1.3M

39.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$23.54 JMD 3,690

167.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$31.17 JMD 4,885

-5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

26.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$102 JMD 16.0K

-13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $77.0 in Old Harbour for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $388 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 Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Old Harbour differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,030 including rent). Old Harbour is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,545 in Old Harbour to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $362 in Old Harbour. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Old Harbour – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,030 in Old Harbour versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Old Harbour but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Old Harbour the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Old Harbour are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Old Harbour gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.