Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,706 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $4,121 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $5,535 in Surrey.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 53% less than in Surrey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Surrey is 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$18.30 CA$25.65

-75.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$80.0 CA$112

-43.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$10.99 CA$15.40

-20.29%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$4.10 CA$5.75

-27.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.03 CA$2.84

-66.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.74 CA$2.44

-77.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$6.05 CA$8.47

-58.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$7.03 CA$9.86

-46.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.64 CA$3.70

-18.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.61 CA$3.66

-30.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$5.39 CA$7.56

-59.55%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.58 CA$5.02

-37.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.36 CA$14.51

93.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$11.66 CA$16.34

-68.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$24.92 CA$34.92

-45.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.34 CA$4.68

-2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.33 CA$1.86

23.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.07 CA$4.31

-24.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$3.41 CA$4.77

-39.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.46 CA$3.45

-36.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.99 CA$2.79

-26.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$2.41 CA$3.37

-59.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.98 CA$2.77

-75.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$14.61 CA$20.48

-70.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$13.99 CA$19.60

32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$3.85 CA$5.39

-51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$4.03 CA$5.64

-34.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$3.20 CA$4.48

-55.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$127 CA$178

-90.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.78 CA$3.90

14.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.49 CA$2.09

-30.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$28.40 CA$39.80

-51.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.31 CA$1.83

2.29%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

9.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.9K CA$29.3K

59.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 ฿4,105

$192 CA$269

-35.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿459

$42.36 CA$59.4

-67.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$66.1 CA$92.6

-72.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$44.22 CA$62.0

37.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$18.70 CA$26.21

-8.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$12.50 CA$17.51

-29.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$688 ฿22.9K

$909 CA$1,273

-24.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$12.6K CA$17.6K

25.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$55.6 CA$77.9

6.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$52.8 CA$74.0

-34.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$103 CA$145

11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$95.1 CA$133

-11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$1,630 CA$2,284

-61.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$1,367 CA$1,916

-67.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$3,074 CA$4,307

-33.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$2,424 CA$3,397

-38.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$9,719 CA$13.6K

-64.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$8,636 CA$12.1K

-70.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,016 CA$4,226

-83.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.54

-18.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Surrey: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,630 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surrey pays 511% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Surrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $407 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 Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 511% lower in Surrey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $1,630 in Surrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $909 in Surrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Surrey. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,706 in Surrey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Surrey. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Surrey, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Surrey are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.