😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,080 in Stony Hill.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,425 in Stony Hill.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,771 in Stony Hill.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 17% more expensive than Stony Hill, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Stony Hill20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$7.71JMD 1,213
-40.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$63.2JMD 9,931
-26.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$8.71JMD 1,370
-2.76%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$4.32JMD 679
-29.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.36JMD 214
-49.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.65JMD 103
-43.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$1.86JMD 293
33.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$3.12JMD 491
17.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$3.10JMD 487
-29.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.56JMD 245
21.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.56JMD 246
41.03%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.43JMD 540
-35.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$10.92JMD 1,717
83.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$4.96JMD 780
-26.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$2.76JMD 434
380.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$5.89JMD 926
-45.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$3.11JMD 490
-45.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$4.12JMD 648
-41.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.56JMD 402
-18.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$2.08JMD 326
-23.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.85JMD 291
-20.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.53JMD 241
-32.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$1.48JMD 233
-64.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$8.92JMD 1,402
-52.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$11.48JMD 1,805
63.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$2.79JMD 439
-36.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$3.16JMD 498
-12.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$1.12JMD 175
180.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$3.26JMD 512
-68.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$6.44JMD 1,014
113.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$0.67JMD 105
100.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$31.3KJMD 4.9M
-11.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$25.3KJMD 4.0M
34.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$47.46JMD 7,464
160.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$22.24JMD 3,498
-39.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$40.37JMD 6,350
-53.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$75.2JMD 11.8K
-17.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$18.89JMD 2,971
-8.68%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$12.46JMD 1,959
-26.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$230JMD 36.2K
204.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$2,438JMD 383.3K
551.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$26.57JMD 4,178
123.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$25.81JMD 4,058
35.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$70.5JMD 11.1K
63.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$77.2JMD 12.1K
8.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$937JMD 147.4K
-34.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$326JMD 51.2K
32.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$2,225JMD 350.0K
-7.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$1,852JMD 291.3K
-18.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stony Hill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Stony Hill: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $937 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 $293 vs $287, 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,619 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: $619 in Phuket versus $937 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 $703 in Phuket versus $230 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 $1,261 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 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.