Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ramsey Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ramsey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Ramsey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,123 in Ramsey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,924 in Ramsey.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 7% less than in Ramsey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Ramsey 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$29.41 IMP 21.91

-84.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$107 IMP 79.4

-56.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$10.19 IMP 7.59

-16.68%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$5.56 IMP 4.14

-44.60%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.82 IMP 2.10

-75.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.92 IMP 1.43

-81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$6.70 IMP 4.99

-63.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$6.02 IMP 4.49

-39.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.93 IMP 1.44

13.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.94 IMP 1.44

-6.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.02 IMP 1.51

10.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$4.28 IMP 3.19

-47.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$6.96 IMP 5.19

181.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$8.23 IMP 6.13

-54.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$11.83 IMP 8.82

13.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.42 IMP 1.80

38.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.77 IMP 1.32

-8.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.67 IMP 1.99

-9.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.96 IMP 2.21

-32.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$2.36 IMP 1.76

-35.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$2.57 IMP 1.91

-43.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.58 IMP 1.18

-36.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$2.05 IMP 1.53

-76.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$22.82 IMP 17.00

-81.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$12.04 IMP 8.97

58.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$3.93 IMP 2.93

-53.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.77 IMP 2.81

-27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$2.66 IMP 1.98

-46.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$5.14 IMP 3.83

-41.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.49 IMP 1.11

-29.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$79.9 IMP 59.6

-82.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$2.07 IMP 1.54

-37.68%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$35.0K IMP 26.1K

-19.96%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$35.6K IMP 26.5K

-5.77%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$304 IMP 226

-59.86%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$39.08 IMP 29.12

-64.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$69.5 IMP 51.8

-72.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$13.51 IMP 10.07

-34.20%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$1,290 IMP 961

-46.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$31.9K IMP 23.7K

-49.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$96.1 IMP 71.6

-39.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$41.51 IMP 30.92

-14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$121 IMP 90.4

-6.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$76.8 IMP 57.2

8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.66

45.63%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Ramsey: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $107 in Ramsey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $304 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 Ramsey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,983 in Ramsey 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 $691 in Phuket versus $1,290 in Ramsey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $107 in Ramsey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,322 in Ramsey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ramsey. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ramsey, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ramsey 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 8% less than in Ramsey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.