😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $639 in Redcliff.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,041 in Redcliff.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,442 in Redcliff.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 97% more expensive than Redcliff, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Redcliff52% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$10.06ZWL 269
-54.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$50.5ZWL 1,353
-7.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$6.93ZWL 186
22.22%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$2.96ZWL 79.1
2.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$0.67ZWL 17.90
2.99%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.43ZWL 11.59
-13.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$1.46ZWL 39.01
70.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.01ZWL 53.9
82.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.55ZWL 41.59
40.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.02ZWL 27.41
86.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.96ZWL 52.6
12.24%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$2.11ZWL 56.4
5.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$10.98ZWL 294
82.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$6.53ZWL 175
-43.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$6.54ZWL 175
102.60%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$3.03ZWL 81.2
6.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.62ZWL 43.40
4.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$2.29ZWL 61.4
4.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$1.72ZWL 45.98
20.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.56ZWL 41.86
1.92%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$2.07ZWL 55.4
-28.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.04ZWL 27.76
-0.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$1.03ZWL 27.48
-49.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$1.12ZWL 29.93
279.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$8.78ZWL 235
114.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.14ZWL 30.39
54.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$1.70ZWL 45.52
62.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$4.97ZWL 133
-36.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$2.03ZWL 54.2
-48.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$4.94ZWL 132
178.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.54ZWL 41.23
-12.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$19.8KZWL 531.0K
39.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$23.5KZWL 629.7K
43.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$59.1ZWL 1,583
109.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$17.80ZWL 476
-24.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$92.8ZWL 2,483
-79.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$9.92ZWL 266
-7.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$279ZWL 7,456
152.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$7,338ZWL 196.4K
116.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$19.51ZWL 522
204.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$21.50ZWL 576
63.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$34.97ZWL 936
229.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$40.12ZWL 1,074
109.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Redcliff
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
13.31
-59.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Redcliff: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in Redcliff. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $222, with Redcliff 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 Redcliff: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Redcliff cheaper than Phuket?
Redcliff is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $958 in Redcliff 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $279 in Redcliff. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Redcliff?
Dining out is cheaper in Redcliff – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Redcliff?
At $639 in Redcliff versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Redcliff but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Redcliff the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Redcliff more family-friendly?
For families, Redcliff is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Redcliff?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Redcliff 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Redcliff gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.