🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,704 in Scunthorpe.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,672 in Scunthorpe.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,640 in Scunthorpe.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 26% less than in Scunthorpe, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Scunthorpe is 27% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$14.28£10.62
-67.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$80.8£60.1
-43.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$10.07£7.49
-16.29%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$4.02£2.99
-27.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.91£1.42
-63.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.24£0.92
-70.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$4.66£3.47
-48.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$5.48£4.07
-32.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.42£1.05
57.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.66£1.24
10.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.62£1.21
33.95%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$3.94£2.93
-43.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$5.52£4.11
257.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$5.32£3.95
-31.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$7.43£5.52
82.10%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.34£1.74
40.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.93£1.43
-16.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$3.22£2.39
-25.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.69£2.74
-43.63%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.78£0.58
96.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$0.93£0.69
59.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.05£0.78
-5.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.94£1.44
-73.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$17.92£13.32
-75.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$7.86£5.84
146.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.81£2.09
-36.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.95£1.45
38.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$5.21£3.87
-73.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$68.2£50.7
-83.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$6.26£4.66
-51.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$1.39£1.04
-28.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$8.28£6.15
70.29%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.90£1.41
-28.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$38.1K£28.3K
-25.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$42.6K£31.6K
-22.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$291£216
-58.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$17.12£12.73
-20.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$43.72£32.50
-58.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$94.7£70.4
-36.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$8.79£6.53
-1.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$1,562£1,161
-55.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$6,679£4,964
134.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$41.10£30.55
44.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$20.36£15.14
70.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$84.8£63.0
35.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$73.3£54.5
13.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$828£616
-25.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$559£415
-21.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,310£974
59.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,113£827
35.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$5,185£3,854
-27.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Scunthorpe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,945£1,445
-73.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.6
-4.82%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Scunthorpe: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $828 in Scunthorpe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Scunthorpe pays 283% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Scunthorpe. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $238, with Scunthorpe 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 Scunthorpe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scunthorpe cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Scunthorpe?
On paper, Scunthorpe earns 283% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Scunthorpe?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $828 in Scunthorpe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,562 in Scunthorpe. 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 Scunthorpe?
Shoppers in Scunthorpe pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Scunthorpe?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,704 in Scunthorpe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Scunthorpe. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Scunthorpe more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Scunthorpe, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Scunthorpe?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Scunthorpe 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Scunthorpe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.