Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stanley Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stanley

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,392 in Stanley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $3,460 in Stanley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $4,528 in Stanley.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Stanley, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Stanley is 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$27.26 FKP 20.29

-83.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$82.2 FKP 61.2

-43.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.73 FKP 2.03

12.09%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.80 FKP 1.34

-59.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.39 FKP 1.03

-71.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.58 FKP 3.41

-46.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.31 FKP 2.46

14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.23 FKP 1.66

1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.14 FKP 2.34

-42.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.91 FKP 0.68

147.25%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$7.44 FKP 5.54

-69.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.04 FKP 2.27

541.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.84 FKP 4.34

-37.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.72 FKP 7.23

34.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$7.16 FKP 5.33

-54.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$5.19 FKP 3.86

-68.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$5.46 FKP 4.06

-56.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$5.19 FKP 3.86

-60.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.37 FKP 1.77

-35.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.74 FKP 0.55

102.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$4.92 FKP 3.66

-80.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$18.50 FKP 13.77

-76.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$11.85 FKP 8.82

54.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.18 FKP 0.88

127.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.83 FKP 1.36

-28.42%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$2,748 FKP 2,045

912.21%

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

$402 FKP 299

-69.53%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$88.9 FKP 66.2

-84.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$529 FKP 394

-96.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$15.30 FKP 11.39

295.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$24.72 FKP 18.40

-31.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.07 FKP 8.24

-18.07%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$624 FKP 464

13.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

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

$61.7 FKP 45.90

87.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$1,247 FKP 928

-49.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$668 FKP 497

-33.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$2,222 FKP 1,654

-8.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,366 FKP 1,017

9.24%

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

$3,978 FKP 2,961

-87.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stanley: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,247 in Stanley. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stanley pays 696% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $82.0 in Stanley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $324 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 Stanley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 696% lower in Stanley. 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 $1,247 in Stanley. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $624 in Stanley. 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 $82.0 in Stanley. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,392 in Stanley, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stanley. 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 Stanley, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Stanley 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 91% less than in Stanley. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.