Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Simpson Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Simpson Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,648 in Simpson Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $6,397 in Simpson Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $9,145 in Simpson Bay.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 66% less than in Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Simpson Bay is 173% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$21.83 ANG 38.97

-79.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$139 ANG 248

-66.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.91 ANG 5.20

5.15%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.95 ANG 5.26

-75.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$3.04 ANG 5.43

-86.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$5.41 ANG 9.66

-55.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.12 ANG 7.35

-8.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$4.62 ANG 8.25

-51.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.46 ANG 4.39

-26.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.48 ANG 4.43

-9.27%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$4.13 ANG 7.37

-45.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$18.38 ANG 32.81

6.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$13.97 ANG 24.93

-73.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$15.56 ANG 27.78

-16.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.69 ANG 6.58

-12.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.91 ANG 5.19

-44.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$5.21 ANG 9.30

-54.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.98 ANG 7.10

-48.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.99 ANG 5.33

-48.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.06 ANG 3.67

-27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.95 ANG 5.27

-66.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.45 ANG 2.59

-64.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$15.13 ANG 27.01

21.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.98 ANG 1.75

89.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.52 ANG 2.72

76.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$2.16 ANG 3.86

-34.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$9.86 ANG 17.60

-68.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.41 ANG 2.51

-7.09%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$507 ANG 905

-75.85%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$35.34 ANG 63.1

-61.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$89.2 ANG 159

-79.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$8.61 ANG 15.36

5.34%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$1,009 ANG 1,801

-29.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$12.0K ANG 21.4K

32.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$78.9 ANG 141

46.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$2,295 ANG 4,097

-72.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$2,288 ANG 4,084

-80.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$6,494 ANG 11.6K

-68.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$5,963 ANG 10.6K

-74.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $2,295 in Simpson Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $139 in Simpson Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $426 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 Simpson Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $5,473 in Simpson Bay 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $2,295 in Simpson Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $1,009 in Simpson Bay. 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 $46.00 versus $139 in Simpson Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,648 in Simpson Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Simpson Bay. 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 Simpson Bay, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Simpson Bay 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 192% less than in Simpson Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.