Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pembroke

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,374 in Pembroke, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. The total is higher in Pembroke despite lower rent and utilities.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Pembroke
🇧🇲 Bermuda
$2,374
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Pembroke

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Pembroke actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,374 in Pembroke.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Pembroke $2,374

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $3,871 in Pembroke.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Pembroke $3,871

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $5,368 in Pembroke.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Pembroke $5,368

Living in Phuket costs roughly 49% less than in Pembroke, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Pembroke is 75% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$49.04 BMD 49.04
-91.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$152 BMD 152
-78.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$16.78 BMD 16.78
-47.79%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$4.38 BMD 4.38
-35.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$3.02 BMD 3.02
-70.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$3.05 BMD 3.05
-84.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$7.63 BMD 7.63
-66.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$8.86 BMD 8.86
-56.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$4.80 BMD 4.80
-63.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$8.14 BMD 8.14
-81.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$5.40 BMD 5.40
-72.04%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$7.07 BMD 7.07
-69.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$23.42 BMD 23.42
-15.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$21.37 BMD 21.37
-84.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$19.80 BMD 19.80
-43.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$8.94 BMD 8.94
-68.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$6.75 BMD 6.75
-74.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$7.25 BMD 7.25
-69.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$8.46 BMD 8.46
-75.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$5.78 BMD 5.78
-74.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$4.05 BMD 4.05
-65.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$6.34 BMD 6.34
-83.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$3.50 BMD 3.50
-85.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$17.99 BMD 17.99
-76.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$24.37 BMD 24.37
-23.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$5.17 BMD 5.17
-65.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$4.27 BMD 4.27
-33.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$131 BMD 131
-83.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$6.37 BMD 6.37
-52.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$2.54 BMD 2.54
-58.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$70.5 BMD 70.5
-94.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$2.42 BMD 2.42
-40.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$37.3K BMD 37.3K
-29.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$42.9K BMD 42.9K
-37.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$291 BMD 291
-66.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$150 BMD 150
-92.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$160 BMD 160
-89.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$78.1 BMD 78.1
-33.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$13.34 BMD 13.34
-41.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$1,303 BMD 1,303
-57.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$25.5K BMD 25.5K
-54.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$91.5 BMD 91.5
-29.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$71.1 BMD 71.1
-59.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$141 BMD 141
-32.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$127 BMD 127
-30.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$3,811 BMD 3,811
-80.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Pembroke
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$8,056 BMD 8,056
-93.78%
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Pembroke: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Pembroke
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Pembroke
$748 179% $480
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Pembroke
$601 383% $477
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Pembroke
$194 56% $70
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Pembroke
$575 375% $454
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Pembroke
$105 54.6% $37
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Pembroke
$150 * 281% $111

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $3,811 in Pembroke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pembroke pays 1509% 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 $152 in Pembroke for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $748 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇲 Pembroke
🕒 Local time
06:09 6:09 AM
20:09 8:09 PM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
11,160
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BMD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bermudian Dollar exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BMD (1 BMD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BMD (1 BMD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Pembroke 15,200 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Pembroke

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Pembroke?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 96% 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.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Pembroke?
On paper, salaries run 1509% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Pembroke?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $3,811 in Pembroke. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Pembroke?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $1,303 in Pembroke. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Pembroke?
Supermarket bills run roughly 178% higher in Pembroke. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Pembroke?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,374 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Pembroke?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,208 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Pembroke?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Pembroke. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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