🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,338 in Solihull.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $3,523 in Solihull.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $4,708 in Solihull.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 47% less than in Solihull, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 7% below, Solihull is 74% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59฿147
$20.19£14.96
-77.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83฿1,501
$77.8£57.6
-39.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.70฿279
$10.50£7.78
-17.14%
Cappuccino
$2.92฿93.7
$4.65£3.45
-37.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿21.92
$2.39£1.77
-71.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿12.70
$1.81£1.34
-77.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51฿80.4
$6.69£4.96
-62.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿122
$6.03£4.47
-36.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.16฿69.3
$1.66£1.23
30.12%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88฿60.3
$1.61£1.19
16.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16฿69.2
$2.67£1.98
-19.10%
Eggs
$2.22฿71.2
$5.26£3.90
-57.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.57฿627
$10.33£7.65
89.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.80฿122
$8.61£6.38
-55.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.41฿430
$14.19£10.51
-5.50%
Apples(1kg)
$3.26฿104
$4.04£2.99
-19.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿51.7
$1.61£1.19
-
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31฿74.0
$2.01£1.49
14.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06฿66.0
$5.79£4.29
-64.42%
Potato(1kg)
$1.61฿51.5
$1.66£1.23
-3.01%
Onion(1kg)
$1.44฿46.26
$1.41£1.05
2.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.01
$1.38£1.02
-25.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.39
$1.37£1.01
-64.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50฿144
$18.75£13.90
-76.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.18฿615
$9.50£7.04
101.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82฿58.4
$3.45£2.56
-47.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69฿86.2
$4.21£3.12
-36.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.38฿44.16
$3.29£2.44
-58.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.76฿377
$89.0£65.9
-86.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿99.6
$6.88£5.10
-54.80%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.18
$1.43£1.06
-30.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.74฿441
$22.79£16.89
-39.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.61
$1.93£1.43
-32.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K฿877.0K
$38.4K£28.5K
-28.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$39.4K£29.2K
-16.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,004
$298£221
-58.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74฿440
$18.45£13.67
-25.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61฿597
$46.59£34.52
-60.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.6฿1,941
$54.5£40.37
11.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15฿550
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.01฿289
$15.15£11.22
-40.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.4K
$1,667£1,235
-58.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿516.5K
$19.1K£14.2K
-15.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2฿1,898
$95.7£70.9
-38.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86฿1,118
$48.11£35.65
-27.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114฿3,662
$122£90.6
-6.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8฿2,751
$120£88.8
-28.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿19.8K
$1,243£921
-50.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.0K
$984£729
-55.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,075฿66.5K
$2,057£1,525
0.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿48.4K
$1,688£1,251
-10.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,764฿120.7K
$5,688£4,215
-33.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,694฿86.4K
$3,715£2,753
-27.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Solihull
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$528฿16.9K
$4,907£3,636
-89.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.74
-7.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Last update for Solihull: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,243 in Solihull. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Solihull pays 829% 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: $47 in Phuket vs $78 in Solihull for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $322 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 Solihull: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Solihull cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Solihull?
On paper, Solihull earns 829% 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 Solihull?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,243 in Solihull. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $1,667 in Solihull. 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 Solihull?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Solihull. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Solihull?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,338 in Solihull, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Solihull. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Solihull more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Solihull, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Solihull?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Solihull 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 88% less than in Solihull. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.