🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,618 in Stony Hill.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,831 in Stony Hill.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,043 in Stony Hill.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 24% less than in Stony Hill, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Stony Hill is 18% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$15.93JMD 2,497
-72.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,073
$74.6JMD 11.7K
-56.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$9.03JMD 1,415
-1.11%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.3
$5.49JMD 860
-47.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.27
$1.16JMD 182
-24.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.00
$0.66JMD 103
-27.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.2
$1.89JMD 296
24.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$3.14JMD 492
18.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.0
$3.26JMD 511
-42.64%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.75
$1.56JMD 244
-5.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.65JMD 259
-6.06%
Eggs
$2.10฿69.9
$3.32JMD 521
-36.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿651
$11.54JMD 1,809
69.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$5.01JMD 785
-31.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿378
$2.83JMD 443
302.12%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.2
$6.10JMD 956
-51.15%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.0
$3.81JMD 598
-55.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$4.14JMD 649
-46.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿71.9
$2.59JMD 406
-16.60%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.7
$2.82JMD 441
-46.10%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.49
$1.93JMD 303
-30.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.53
$1.55JMD 244
-27.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.17
$1.46JMD 229
-62.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$9.49JMD 1,487
-55.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$11.35JMD 1,778
68.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$2.95JMD 462
-39.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.5
$3.99JMD 626
-30.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.1
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿756
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$1.21JMD 190
150.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.02
$3.15JMD 494
-67.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿129
$6.28JMD 984
-38.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.57
$0.67JMD 105
122.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿883.8K
$31.1KJMD 4.9M
-14.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿898.7K
$25.3KJMD 4.0M
6.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,407
$46.75JMD 7,327
119.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$21.94JMD 3,438
-48.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿578
$41.99JMD 6,581
-58.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,732
$75.6JMD 11.9K
-31.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿368
$19.03JMD 2,983
-41.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$12.61JMD 1,976
-39.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.6K
$359JMD 56.2K
56.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿382.6K
$8,362JMD 1.3M
37.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,096
$23.80JMD 3,729
164.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿982
$31.43JMD 4,925
-6.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,259
$76.3JMD 12.0K
28.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,943
$103JMD 16.1K
-13.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.5K
$966JMD 151.4K
-23.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.0K
$747JMD 117.0K
-35.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.0K
$2,210JMD 346.3K
-4.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$1,892JMD 296.5K
-35.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
9
-38.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Stony Hill: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $966 in Stony Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $75.0 in Stony Hill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $301 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 Stony Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stony Hill cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% 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 $2,427 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: $738 in Phuket versus $966 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 $561 in Phuket versus $359 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 in Stony Hill?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $75.0 in Stony Hill. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Stony Hill?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,618 in Stony Hill, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stony Hill. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Stony Hill more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stony Hill, 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Stony Hill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.