Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Totnes

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,559 in Totnes, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Totnes
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,559
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Totnes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Totnes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,559 in Totnes.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Totnes $2,559

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $3,763 in Totnes.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Totnes $3,763

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $4,967 in Totnes.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Totnes $4,967

Living in Phuket costs roughly 53% less than in Totnes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Totnes is 89% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$20.89 £15.67
-78.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$100.0 £75.0
-67.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$12.14 £9.11
-27.84%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$4.89 £3.67
-42.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$3.06 £2.30
-70.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$2.09 £1.57
-77.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$6.69 £5.02
-61.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$7.35 £5.51
-47.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.69 £1.27
2.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$1.49 £1.12
-1.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$2.21 £1.66
-31.67%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$4.20 £3.15
-48.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$6.18 £4.64
218.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$11.89 £8.92
-71.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$12.75 £9.56
-12.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$2.20 £1.65
29.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.78 £1.34
-4.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$1.96 £1.47
11.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$2.17 £1.63
-5.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$2.17 £1.63
-33.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$1.27 £0.95
8.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.94 £1.46
-44.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$1.94 £1.46
-73.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$23.85 £17.89
-82.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$9.79 £7.34
89.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$2.84 £2.13
-37.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$2.41 £1.81
18.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$4.03 £3.02
-43.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$95.8 £71.9
-76.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$3.41 £2.55
-11.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$2.43 £1.83
-56.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$32.93 £24.70
-88.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$2.09 £1.57
-30.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$38.2K £28.7K
-31.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$39.7K £29.8K
-32.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$366 £274
-73.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$16.02 £12.02
-31.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$43.55 £32.68
-60.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$45.72 £34.30
14.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$20.96 £15.73
-62.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$2,264 £1,699
-75.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$34.6K £25.9K
-66.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$88.3 £66.2
-27.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$49.61 £37.22
-42.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$156 £117
-38.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$142 £107
-38.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$1,297 £973
-43.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$1,098 £824
-57.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$1,795 £1,346
16.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$1,815 £1,362
-33.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$5,128 £3,847
-31.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$4,321 £3,242
-41.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Totnes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.96
12.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Totnes: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Totnes
$1.1K 138% $636
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Totnes
$293 9% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Totnes
$425 242% $301
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Totnes
$196 57.9% $72
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Totnes
$331 173% $210
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Totnes
$88 29.3% $20
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Totnes
$128 223% $88

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $1,297 in Totnes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $100 in Totnes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇧 Totnes
🕒 Local time
23:22 11:22 PM
17:22 5:22 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
8,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Totnes 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Totnes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Totnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Totnes cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $3,839 in Totnes 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 Totnes?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $1,297 in Totnes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $2,264 in Totnes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Totnes?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Totnes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Totnes?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,559 in Totnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Totnes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Totnes more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Totnes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Totnes?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Totnes 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 112% less than in Totnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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