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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $997 in Somerset West.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,598 in Somerset West.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,199 in Somerset West.

Living in Phuket is roughly 27% more expensive than Somerset West, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Somerset West 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.31 R 135

-43.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$39.47 R 641

14.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.03 R 81.8

67.59%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.96 R 31.90

49.49%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.80 R 12.97

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.87 R 14.16

-57.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.58 R 41.98

-6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.54 R 41.32

46.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.89 R 14.39

150.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.91 R 14.80

101.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.87 R 30.37

16.04%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.13 R 34.57

3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.62 R 124

159.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.87 R 79.1

-25.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.37 R 120

83.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.57 R 25.59

108.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.48 R 24.13

8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.45 R 23.59

66.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.59 R 25.89

30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.09 R 17.67

40.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.23 R 19.98

20.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.10 R 17.81

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.99 R 16.03

-48.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.13 R 50.9

40.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.00 R 97.6

223.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.41 R 22.99

26.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.65 R 26.83

64.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.63 R 26.44

-15.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.36 R 22.15

122.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.00 R 16.19

-1.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.42 R 71.8

219.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.25 R 20.39

8.80%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.7K R 319.8K

43.30%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.0K R 358.0K

49.36%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$69.5 R 1,129

75.21%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$29.26 R 475

-53.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$40.77 R 663

-55.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$38.58 R 627

56.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.68 R 108

30.09%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$216 R 3,505

221.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,368 R 54.7K

365.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$31.23 R 508

90.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$27.27 R 443

27.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$66.6 R 1,081

72.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$63.9 R 1,038

30.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$619 R 10.1K

-0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$386 R 6,280

13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,254 R 20.4K

67.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$853 R 13.9K

76.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,246 R 20.3K

200.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$915 R 14.9K

185.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,445 R 23.5K

-64.85%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $619 in Somerset West. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 184% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Somerset West for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Somerset West earns 184% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $619 in Somerset West. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $216 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $997 in Somerset West versus $1,265 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 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.