😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,080 in Stony Hill.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,414 in Stony Hill.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $3,747 in Stony Hill.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than Stony Hill, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Stony Hill19% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$7.67JMD 1,205
-39.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$63.4JMD 9,955
-26.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$8.97JMD 1,409
-1.45%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$4.30JMD 676
-30.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.37JMD 216
-45.99%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.65JMD 102
-43.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.90JMD 299
28.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.20JMD 502
12.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$3.08JMD 484
-26.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.60JMD 251
15.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.61JMD 253
39.13%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$3.33JMD 523
-30.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$10.88JMD 1,709
80.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$5.15JMD 809
-29.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$2.87JMD 450
356.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$6.13JMD 962
-44.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$3.10JMD 487
-47.10%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.08JMD 641
-40.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.55JMD 401
-20.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.09JMD 328
-25.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.85JMD 290
-18.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.56JMD 244
-34.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$1.51JMD 237
-67.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$8.51JMD 1,336
-47.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$11.36JMD 1,784
66.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.90JMD 455
-38.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.09JMD 485
-11.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$1.12JMD 176
178.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$3.24JMD 510
-69.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$6.31JMD 990
123.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.67JMD 105
101.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$31.6KJMD 5.0M
-13.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$24.6KJMD 3.9M
34.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$47.44JMD 7,451
163.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$22.34JMD 3,508
-39.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$41.34JMD 6,493
-55.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$75.5JMD 11.9K
-18.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$18.70JMD 2,937
-9.95%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$12.27JMD 1,928
-25.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$229JMD 36.0K
204.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$2,515JMD 395.0K
520.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$26.11JMD 4,101
121.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$25.75JMD 4,044
36.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$72.3JMD 11.4K
56.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$74.8JMD 11.7K
15.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$926JMD 145.4K
-33.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$332JMD 52.2K
34.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$2,223JMD 349.1K
-7.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$1,909JMD 299.8K
-21.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
9
-40.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Stony Hill: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $926 in Stony Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $63.0 in Stony Hill. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $289, with Stony Hill cheaper for home cooking.
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 Stony Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stony Hill cheaper than Phuket?
Stony Hill is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,620 in Stony Hill 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 Stony Hill?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $926 in Stony Hill. 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 $229 in Stony Hill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Stony Hill?
Dining out is cheaper in Stony Hill – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Stony Hill?
At $1,080 in Stony Hill versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Stony Hill but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Stony Hill the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Stony Hill more family-friendly?
For families, Stony Hill 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Stony Hill?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Stony Hill 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 Stony Hill gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.