ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,387 in Stephenville.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $3,456 in Stephenville.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $4,525 in Stephenville.
ðLiving in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Stephenville, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 7% below, Stephenville is 77% above.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59āļŋ147
$16.60CA$22.75
-72.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83āļŋ1,501
$70.6CA$96.7
-33.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.70āļŋ279
$10.97CA$15.03
-20.69%
Cappuccino
$2.92āļŋ93.7
$3.74CA$5.13
-21.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68āļŋ21.92
$1.99CA$2.73
-65.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40āļŋ12.70
$1.64CA$2.24
-75.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51āļŋ80.4
$5.40CA$7.39
-53.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80āļŋ122
$5.72CA$7.84
-33.57%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.16āļŋ69.3
$2.63CA$3.60
-17.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88āļŋ60.3
$2.69CA$3.68
-30.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16āļŋ69.2
$3.53CA$4.84
-38.81%
Eggs
$2.22āļŋ71.2
$3.45CA$4.72
-35.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.57āļŋ627
$11.34CA$15.54
72.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.80āļŋ122
$11.56CA$15.83
-67.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.41āļŋ430
$14.61CA$20.02
-8.21%
Apples(1kg)
$3.26āļŋ104
$4.04CA$5.53
-19.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61āļŋ51.7
$1.43CA$1.96
12.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31āļŋ74.0
$3.77CA$5.17
-38.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06āļŋ66.0
$3.68CA$5.04
-44.02%
Potato(1kg)
$1.61āļŋ51.5
$2.51CA$3.43
-35.86%
Onion(1kg)
$1.44āļŋ46.26
$2.58CA$3.53
-44.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03āļŋ33.01
$4.36CA$5.97
-76.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48āļŋ15.39
$1.77CA$2.43
-72.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50āļŋ144
$13.84CA$18.96
-67.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.18āļŋ615
$11.09CA$15.19
72.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82āļŋ58.4
$2.83CA$3.87
-35.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69āļŋ86.2
$3.08CA$4.21
-12.66%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.38āļŋ44.16
$2.41CA$3.31
-42.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.76āļŋ377
$62.5CA$85.6
-81.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11āļŋ99.6
$3.19CA$4.37
-2.51%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.18
$1.45CA$1.98
-31.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.74āļŋ441
$25.49CA$34.92
-46.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30āļŋ41.61
$1.13CA$1.55
15.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4Kāļŋ877.0K
$24.7KCA$33.9K
10.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0Kāļŋ1.1M
$20.5KCA$28.0K
61.46%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,004
$141CA$193
-11.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74āļŋ440
$42.98CA$58.9
-68.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61āļŋ597
$63.4CA$86.8
-70.64%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.6āļŋ1,941
$41.24CA$56.5
46.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15āļŋ550
$36.38CA$49.84
-52.86%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01āļŋ289
$11.47CA$15.71
-21.45%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.4K
$735CA$1,008
-5.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1Kāļŋ516.5K
$12.0KCA$16.4K
34.60%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2āļŋ1,898
$54.9CA$75.2
7.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86āļŋ1,118
$39.40CA$54.0
-11.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114āļŋ3,662
$85.6CA$117
33.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8āļŋ2,751
$108CA$148
-20.58%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619āļŋ19.8K
$1,323CA$1,813
-53.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437āļŋ14.0K
$1,156CA$1,583
-62.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,075āļŋ66.5K
$2,055CA$2,815
0.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509āļŋ48.4K
$1,795CA$2,459
-15.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,764āļŋ120.7K
$3,891CA$5,331
-3.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,694āļŋ86.4K
$3,530CA$4,836
-23.70%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stephenville
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$528āļŋ16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.46
-17.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Last update for Stephenville: April 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,323 in Stephenville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $47 in Phuket vs $71 in Stephenville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $373 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 Stephenville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stephenville cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,870 in Phuket and $3,581 in Stephenville to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Stephenville?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,323 in Stephenville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $735 in Stephenville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Stephenville?
Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Stephenville. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Stephenville?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,387 in Stephenville, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stephenville. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Stephenville more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stephenville, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Stephenville?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Stephenville are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 91% less than in Stephenville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.