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 $2,337 in Pembroke.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $3,821 in Pembroke.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $5,306 in Pembroke.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Pembroke, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Pembroke is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$50.6 BMD 50.6

-90.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,059

$149 BMD 149

-78.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿285

$17.21 BMD 17.21

-49.56%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.3

$4.61 BMD 4.61

-37.09%

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

$0.84 ฿27.75

$3.19 BMD 3.19

-73.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$3.16 BMD 3.16

-84.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.6

$7.40 BMD 7.40

-66.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$9.26 BMD 9.26

-59.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$4.51 BMD 4.51

-58.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.31

$8.52 BMD 8.52

-83.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.3

$5.67 BMD 5.67

-71.43%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.7

$7.72 BMD 7.72

-70.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿652

$18.79 BMD 18.79

5.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$23.51 BMD 23.51

-85.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿374

$27.06 BMD 27.06

-57.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.3

$12.71 BMD 12.71

-77.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.7

$6.52 BMD 6.52

-73.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.7

$6.98 BMD 6.98

-67.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.1

$4.11 BMD 4.11

-48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.49

$6.95 BMD 6.95

-78.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.69

$3.12 BMD 3.12

-54.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.08

$6.58 BMD 6.58

-83.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.66

$3.69 BMD 3.69

-83.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$17.83 BMD 17.83

-75.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿612

$25.17 BMD 25.17

-26.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.2

$5.32 BMD 5.32

-66.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.5

$4.63 BMD 4.63

-35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿772

$133 BMD 133

-82.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$6.37 BMD 6.37

-51.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.39

$2.54 BMD 2.54

-57.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$69.0 BMD 69.0

-94.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.93

$2.36 BMD 2.36

-39.41%

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

$27.8K ฿913.6K

$37.6K BMD 37.6K

-26.13%

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

$27.0K ฿887.2K

$41.7K BMD 41.7K

-35.27%

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

$105 ฿3,446

$256 BMD 256

-59.02%

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

$11.39 ฿375

$145 BMD 145

-92.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿577

$163 BMD 163

-89.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,787

$80.0 BMD 80.0

-32.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿376

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿256

$13.24 BMD 13.24

-41.24%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$1,306 BMD 1,306

-55.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿380.8K

$24.8K BMD 24.8K

-53.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,092

$91.4 BMD 91.4

-30.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿957

$69.0 BMD 69.0

-57.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,164

$143 BMD 143

-32.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,960

$129 BMD 129

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

$3,823 BMD 3,823

-80.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿69.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$8,101 BMD 8,101

-93.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.63

-35.46%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Pembroke: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $3,823 in Pembroke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pembroke pays 1496% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $149 in Pembroke for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $774 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 85% 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, salaries run 1496% lower in Pembroke. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $3,823 in Pembroke. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $1,306 in Pembroke. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 181% higher in Pembroke. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,337 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 85% less than in Pembroke. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.