Cost of Living Comparison Between Romsey and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Romsey and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,261 in Romsey versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,349 in Romsey versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,437 in Romsey versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Romsey is roughly 79% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Romsey is 68% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.84 A$28.04
$4.56 ฿149
335.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.8 A$108
$46.63 ฿1,519
64.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.62 A$13.59
$8.47 ฿276
13.58%
Cappuccino
$3.63 A$5.13
$3.03 ฿98.6
19.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 A$3.58
$0.69 ฿22.45
268.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 A$3.37
$0.37 ฿11.92
543.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.38 A$10.43
$2.49 ฿81.0
196.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.36 A$10.40
$3.66 ฿119
101.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.07
$2.18 ฿71.0
-32.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.62 A$3.70
$1.90 ฿62.0
37.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.35 A$3.32
$2.20 ฿71.6
6.82%
Eggs
$4.90 A$6.92
$2.22 ฿72.4
120.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.94 A$12.64
$19.99 ฿651
-55.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.11 A$12.87
$3.66 ฿119
148.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.47 A$20.45
$13.25 ฿432
9.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.19 A$4.50
$3.23 ฿105
-1.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.81 A$3.97
$1.70 ฿55.3
65.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.96 A$4.18
$2.39 ฿78.0
23.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 A$5.51
$2.08 ฿67.7
87.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.70 A$3.81
$1.59 ฿51.8
69.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.28
$1.48 ฿48.31
56.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 A$2.98
$1.03 ฿33.54
104.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 A$2.34
$0.52 ฿16.83
219.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$32.25 A$45.56
$4.25 ฿138
658.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.88 A$19.61
$18.79 ฿612
-26.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.49 A$6.34
$1.76 ฿57.2
155.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.03 A$7.10
$2.76 ฿89.8
82.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.62 A$3.70
$1.36 ฿44.32
92.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.2 A$90.7
$11.36 ฿370
464.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.66 A$5.17
$3.14 ฿102
16.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 A$1.97
$1.04 ฿33.74
33.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.81 A$37.88
$13.77 ฿448
94.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 A$1.62
$1.34 ฿43.79
-14.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K A$40.4K
$27.7K ฿901.4K
3.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K A$33.4K
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-30.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 A$211
$124 ฿4,025
20.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.40 A$30.23
$13.52 ฿440
58.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.1 A$72.2
$18.69 ฿609
173.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.65 A$70.2
$61.8 ฿2,013
-19.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.78 A$22.29
$17.25 ฿562
-8.52%
Cinema Ticket
$16.55 A$23.39
$9.14 ฿298
81.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,773 A$2,505
$703 ฿22.9K
152.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.4K A$27.4K
$15.9K ฿517.0K
22.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.4 A$95.3
$59.5 ฿1,937
13.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 A$75.1
$35.07 ฿1,142
51.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 A$148
$115 ฿3,754
-9.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 A$149
$84.1 ฿2,737
25.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,241 A$1,754
$619 ฿20.1K
100.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,066 A$1,506
$433 ฿14.1K
146.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,049 A$2,894
$2,062 ฿67.2K
-0.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,661 A$2,347
$1,511 ฿49.2K
9.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,215 A$8,781
$3,646 ฿118.7K
70.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,269 A$7,444
$2,626 ฿85.5K
100.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Romsey
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$507 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.19
5.33
16.14%

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

Last update for Romsey: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,241 in Romsey and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Romsey vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $293 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
Romsey vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Romsey?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,391 in Romsey and $1,892 in Phuket 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 Romsey and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,241 in Romsey versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,773 in Romsey versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Romsey and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Romsey. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Romsey or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,261 in Romsey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Romsey. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Romsey or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Romsey, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Romsey or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Romsey and Phuket 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 79% less than in Romsey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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