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 $711 in Old Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,166 in Old Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,621 in Old Harbour.

Living in Phuket is roughly 73% more expensive than Old Harbour, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Old Harbour 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.21 JMD 976

-25.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$31.39 JMD 4,930

49.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.97 JMD 780

77.87%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$4.24 JMD 666

-29.25%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.97 JMD 152

-23.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.60 JMD 94.7

-38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.53 JMD 397

-3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.06 JMD 481

17.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$4.34 JMD 682

-47.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$3.65 JMD 573

-49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.63 JMD 257

37.42%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.55 JMD 557

-34.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$3.43 JMD 538

473.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.27 JMD 985

-41.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.74 JMD 1,216

69.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$6.11 JMD 960

-44.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$3.10 JMD 487

-47.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$4.12 JMD 647

-41.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.08 JMD 327

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.02 JMD 317

-22.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.92 JMD 301

-21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$3.13 JMD 492

-67.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.43 JMD 225

-65.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$8.58 JMD 1,347

-48.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$11.33 JMD 1,780

66.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.87 JMD 450

-37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.15 JMD 495

-12.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.09 JMD 171

186.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$3.24 JMD 508

-69.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.13 JMD 962

129.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.07 JMD 169

26.17%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-36.56%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-2.59%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$49.29 JMD 7,741

153.56%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$22.49 JMD 3,532

-39.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$43.21 JMD 6,786

-57.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$13.26 JMD 2,082

-30.69%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$230 JMD 36.1K

203.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$2,485 JMD 390.2K

527.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$25.58 JMD 4,018

125.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$25.78 JMD 4,049

36.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$71.2 JMD 11.2K

58.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

13.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Old Harbour. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $324, with Phuket 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 Old Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Old Harbour differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $711 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 $1,067 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 $698 in Phuket versus $230 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 $31.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $711 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 73% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.