Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Springs Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Springs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $929 in Springs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,485 in Springs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,041 in Springs.

Living in Phuket is roughly 35% more expensive than in Springs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Springs 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.16 R 135

-44.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$32.99 R 544

39.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.77 R 78.8

85.32%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.12 R 35.06

44.34%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.82 R 13.55

-10.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.64 R 10.49

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.65 R 27.15

47.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.00 R 33.03

89.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.20 R 19.79

88.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.03 R 17.07

75.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.61 R 26.63

39.75%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.43 R 40.03

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.57 R 108

196.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.45 R 73.5

-17.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.40 R 106

103.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.02 R 16.81

216.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.81 R 13.34

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.15 R 18.96

106.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.04 R 17.16

95.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.32 R 21.77

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.22 R 20.15

22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.08 R 17.82

-9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.16 R 19.17

-55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.88 R 47.52

54.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$3.88 R 64.1

372.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.10 R 18.09

69.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.71 R 28.22

56.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.68 R 27.77

-16.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.42 R 23.45

119.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.31 R 21.68

-20.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.10 R 51.1

355.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.27 R 20.95

3.15%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.5K R 321.2K

42.92%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.5K R 420.8K

30.28%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$124 R 2,046

-1.23%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$37.68 R 622

-63.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$37.83 R 624

-50.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$37.04 R 611

63.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.66 R 126

18.41%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$82.9 R 1,368

751.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,698 R 28.0K

830.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$51.0 R 842

14.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$32.73 R 540

8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$89.2 R 1,472

29.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$87.0 R 1,436

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$266 R 4,397

134.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$247 R 4,084

79.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$676 R 11.2K

201.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$636 R 10.5K

134.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$830 R 13.7K

319.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$686 R 11.3K

275.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,166 R 19.2K

-57.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.62

-49.81%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Springs: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $266 in Springs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Springs pays 133% 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 $33.00 in Springs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $161 per month, with Springs 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 Springs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Springs is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 133% lower in Springs. 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 $266 in Springs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $82.9 in Springs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Springs – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $929 in Springs versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Springs but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Springs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Springs 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 Springs 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 Springs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.