Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pembroke Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pembroke

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,356 in Pembroke.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,897 in Pembroke.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $5,439 in Pembroke.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Pembroke, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Pembroke is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$60.1 BMD 60.1

-92.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$152 BMD 152

-70.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$14.72 BMD 14.72

-42.73%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.54 BMD 4.54

-35.46%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$3.51 BMD 3.51

-80.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$2.97 BMD 2.97

-87.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$8.22 BMD 8.22

-70.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$8.73 BMD 8.73

-57.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$4.34 BMD 4.34

-48.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$8.66 BMD 8.66

-78.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$5.61 BMD 5.61

-61.32%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$7.39 BMD 7.39

-70.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.75 BMD 11.75

68.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$24.61 BMD 24.61

-85.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$32.66 BMD 32.66

-58.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$10.52 BMD 10.52

-68.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$6.32 BMD 6.32

-74.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$12.69 BMD 12.69

-81.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$11.37 BMD 11.37

-81.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$8.44 BMD 8.44

-81.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$5.17 BMD 5.17

-71.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$5.87 BMD 5.87

-83.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$3.27 BMD 3.27

-84.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$17.65 BMD 17.65

-75.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$24.90 BMD 24.90

-22.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$5.33 BMD 5.33

-66.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$4.37 BMD 4.37

-37.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$3.89 BMD 3.89

-64.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$69.0 BMD 69.0

-83.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$6.13 BMD 6.13

-50.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$53.2 BMD 53.2

-73.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$2.39 BMD 2.39

-43.10%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$35.0K BMD 35.0K

-19.41%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$39.1K BMD 39.1K

-15.95%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$235 BMD 235

-48.16%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$117 BMD 117

-88.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$159 BMD 159

-88.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$80.7 BMD 80.7

-25.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$13.70 BMD 13.70

-36.57%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$1,333 BMD 1,333

-48.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$24.0K BMD 24.0K

-34.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$80.6 BMD 80.6

-26.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$58.8 BMD 58.8

-40.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$136 BMD 136

-15.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$128 BMD 128

-34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$3,708 BMD 3,708

-83.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$5,624 BMD 5,624

-33.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$7,856 BMD 7,856

-93.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.22

-26.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pembroke: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $3,708 in Pembroke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pembroke pays 1446% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $152 in Pembroke for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $820 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 Pembroke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Pembroke. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Pembroke earns 1446% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $3,708 in Pembroke. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,333 in Pembroke. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 180% higher in Pembroke. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,356 in Pembroke, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pembroke. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pembroke 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Pembroke. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.