Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $999 in Somerset West.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,633 in Somerset West.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,267 in Somerset West.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Somerset West, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Somerset West 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.60 R 142

-47.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$39.17 R 647

17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.87 R 80.5

81.52%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.97 R 32.56

55.33%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.83 R 13.64

-12.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.83 R 13.78

-51.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.55 R 42.07

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.54 R 41.94

48.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.89 R 14.68

153.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.92 R 15.15

96.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.92 R 31.73

17.19%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.20 R 36.35

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.62 R 126

156.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.80 R 79.2

-23.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.40 R 122

76.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.56 R 25.82

107.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.49 R 24.63

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.46 R 24.11

63.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.55 R 25.52

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.08 R 17.82

41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.18 R 19.46

27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.06 R 17.44

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.96 R 15.80

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.07 R 50.7

44.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.91 R 97.6

209.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.42 R 23.38

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.69 R 27.91

58.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.60 R 26.47

-11.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.43 R 23.55

117.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.00 R 16.49

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.43 R 73.2

218.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.18 R 19.54

11.02%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.9K R 328.9K

39.59%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$22.0K R 362.7K

51.13%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$68.8 R 1,135

78.07%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$29.22 R 482

-53.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$41.52 R 685

-54.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$38.44 R 634

57.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.64 R 110

36.60%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$213 R 3,522

230.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,341 R 55.1K

372.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$31.36 R 518

86.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$27.54 R 455

28.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$66.1 R 1,091

74.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$64.1 R 1,058

30.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$610 R 10.1K

2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$388 R 6,405

14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,260 R 20.8K

61.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$870 R 14.4K

71.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,262 R 20.8K

176.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$930 R 15.3K

177.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,427 R 23.5K

-64.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.5

-49.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $610 in Somerset West. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 185% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Somerset West for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $178 per month, with Somerset West 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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset West is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 185% lower in Somerset West. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $610 in Somerset West. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $213 in Somerset West. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Somerset West – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $999 in Somerset West versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Somerset West but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset West the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Somerset West 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Somerset West 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 Somerset West gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.