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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,011 in Stanley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $4,572 in Stanley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $6,134 in Stanley.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 59% less than in Stanley, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Stanley is 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$26.95 FKP 20.10

-83.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$80.0 FKP 59.7

-59.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$4.33 FKP 3.23

-33.03%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$2.36 FKP 1.76

-62.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$1.39 FKP 1.04

-65.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$4.15 FKP 3.09

-43.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.52 FKP 1.88

47.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$2.34 FKP 1.75

-20.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$3.04 FKP 2.27

-51.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.86 FKP 0.64

80.23%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$7.45 FKP 5.56

-71.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$3.06 FKP 2.29

540.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.86 FKP 7.36

-65.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$11.92 FKP 8.89

-4.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$9.35 FKP 6.97

-68.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$5.47 FKP 4.08

-69.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$10.72 FKP 7.99

-79.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$8.01 FKP 5.98

-73.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$3.31 FKP 2.47

-54.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.71 FKP 0.53

88.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$4.41 FKP 3.29

-74.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$16.52 FKP 12.33

-74.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$11.94 FKP 8.91

59.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.46 FKP 1.83

13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$6.90 FKP 5.15

-56.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.61 FKP 1.20

-7.45%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

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

$102 ฿3,411

$390 FKP 291

-73.72%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$77.9 FKP 58.1

-85.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$455 FKP 340

-96.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$22.17 FKP 16.54

134.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$12.39 FKP 9.24

-37.93%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$114 FKP 85.0

-44.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$95.7 FKP 71.4

-69.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$162 FKP 121

-39.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$108 FKP 80.8

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,489 FKP 1,111

-50.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,075 FKP 802

-55.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$2,684 FKP 2,002

-21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$2,471 FKP 1,843

-50.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$4,061 FKP 3,030

-87.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.75

-28.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Stanley: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,489 in Stanley. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stanley pays 723% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Stanley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $402 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 723% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $1,489 in Stanley. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Stanley. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $80.0 in Stanley. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,011 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 144% less than in Stanley. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.