Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Redland City

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,309 in Redland City, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Redland City, Australia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Redland City
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,309
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Redland City

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 Redland City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,309 in Redland City.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Redland City $2,309

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $3,306 in Redland City.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Redland City $3,306

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $4,304 in Redland City.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Redland City $4,304

Living in Phuket costs roughly 44% less than in Redland City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Redland City is 71% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$15.21 A$21.71
-71.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,089
$62.3 A$88.9
-48.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿293
$9.84 A$14.05
-11.59%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.8
$3.79 A$5.41
-28.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.35
$2.92 A$4.17
-68.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.83
$2.06 A$2.94
-75.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.3
$7.86 A$11.23
-67.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$6.33 A$9.04
-42.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.6
$1.58 A$2.26
10.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.89
$2.67 A$3.81
-45.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.42 A$3.46
-38.02%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.2
$4.96 A$7.08
-56.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿643
$8.26 A$11.80
131.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$8.93 A$12.75
-61.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿367
$14.56 A$20.79
-25.14%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.1
$3.57 A$5.10
-17.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.86 A$4.08
-40.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.9
$2.15 A$3.06
1.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$3.50 A$4.99
-39.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.15
$2.53 A$3.61
-42.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.10
$1.78 A$2.54
-23.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.26
$2.12 A$3.02
-49.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.38
$1.55 A$2.21
-64.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$33.56 A$47.93
-86.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿615
$11.17 A$15.96
63.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.7
$4.89 A$6.99
-63.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.1
$4.14 A$5.91
-30.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.78
$0.36 A$0.51
302.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,850
$85.8 A$123
-36.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.13 A$3.04
-29.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.14
$1.64 A$2.34
-52.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$35.48 A$50.7
-89.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.1
$1.38 A$1.97
7.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿905.9K
$29.6K A$42.3K
-9.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿887.8K
$26.4K A$37.7K
-0.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,296
$87.7 A$125
11.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$30.68 A$43.81
-63.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿579
$54.7 A$78.2
-68.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,303
$56.7 A$81.0
20.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$17.55 A$25.07
-37.78%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿250
$7.04 A$10.05
5.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$518 A$740
2.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿632.9K
$4,129 A$5,897
354.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,078
$76.7 A$110
-19.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿952
$54.3 A$77.5
-47.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,235
$105 A$149
-8.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,926
$99.9 A$143
-13.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$1,394 A$1,990
-48.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.1K
$1,208 A$1,726
-57.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.7K
$2,235 A$3,192
-12.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$1,797 A$2,566
-22.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.3K
$5,956 A$8,506
-29.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.2K
$4,953 A$7,073
-33.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Redland City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.69
-2.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Redland City: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Redland City
$1.2K 138% $700
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Redland City
$339 27.2% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Redland City
$173 37% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Redland City
$151 23% $28
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Redland City
$269 125% $149
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Redland City
$71 14.9% $12
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Redland City
$98 47.6% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $1,394 in Redland City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $62 in Redland City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $339 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇦🇺 Redland City
🕒 Local time
18:43 6:43 PM
21:43 9:43 PM
3 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
159,222
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Redland City 7,090 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Redland City

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 Redland City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Redland City?
Phuket is about 44% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $3,463 in Redland City 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Redland City?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $1,394 in Redland City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $518 in Redland City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Redland City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Redland City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Redland City?
At $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,309 in Redland City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Redland City. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Redland City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Redland City?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Redland City are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Redland City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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