😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,106 in Stony Hill.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,445 in Stony Hill.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $3,785 in Stony Hill.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Stony Hill, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Stony Hill17% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$7.46JMD 1,175
-39.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$63.8JMD 10.1K
-28.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$8.57JMD 1,349
2.22%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$4.26JMD 671
-30.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$1.32JMD 208
-47.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$0.64JMD 101
-39.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$1.85JMD 291
36.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$3.14JMD 495
19.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$3.21JMD 505
-33.02%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$1.58JMD 249
15.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$1.56JMD 246
39.74%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$3.42JMD 539
-34.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$11.26JMD 1,773
77.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$5.08JMD 799
-28.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$2.74JMD 432
394.89%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$6.13JMD 965
-47.15%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$3.14JMD 495
-47.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$4.01JMD 631
-41.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$2.49JMD 391
-16.87%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$2.09JMD 328
-25.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$1.86JMD 294
-21.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$1.53JMD 242
-35.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$1.46JMD 229
-67.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$8.81JMD 1,387
-50.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$11.21JMD 1,766
65.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$2.82JMD 444
-34.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$3.08JMD 485
-13.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$1.11JMD 175
185.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$3.11JMD 490
-66.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$6.21JMD 978
123.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$0.68JMD 107
97.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$31.7KJMD 5.0M
-12.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$25.3KJMD 4.0M
32.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$47.89JMD 7,542
156.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$21.64JMD 3,408
-36.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$40.48JMD 6,375
-54.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$75.8JMD 11.9K
-19.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$18.46JMD 2,908
-7.04%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$12.62JMD 1,987
-29.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$227JMD 35.7K
203.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$2,479JMD 390.5K
536.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$25.98JMD 4,091
128.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$25.13JMD 3,958
38.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$72.3JMD 11.4K
59.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$75.7JMD 11.9K
10.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$928JMD 146.1K
-33.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$337JMD 53.0K
32.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$2,209JMD 347.8K
-7.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$1,858JMD 292.6K
-19.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Stony Hill: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $928 in Stony Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Stony Hill. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 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 $1,896 in Phuket and $1,658 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: $621 in Phuket versus $928 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 $688 in Phuket versus $227 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 Stony Hill – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Stony Hill?
At $1,106 in Stony Hill versus $1,264 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.