😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,061 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $1,253 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,969 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $2,043 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,876 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Shrewsbury, Shropshire is roughly 65% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Shrewsbury, Shropshire is 50% above, Phuket is 9% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.15£14.91
$4.56฿150
341.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.5£41.77
$32.62฿1,073
73.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68£6.42
$8.90฿293
-2.47%
Cappuccino
$4.47£3.31
$2.80฿92.3
59.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09£2.29
$0.88฿28.96
251.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45£1.81
$0.49฿16.09
400.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.53£4.09
$2.39฿78.6
131.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.74£4.98
$3.71฿122
81.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95£1.44
$1.79฿58.8
8.94%
White Bread(500g)
$2.44£1.81
$1.44฿47.43
69.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.28£1.69
$1.58฿52.1
44.30%
Eggs
$4.12£3.05
$2.13฿70.0
93.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.19£6.06
$19.92฿655
-58.89%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.06£6.70
$3.43฿113
164.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.18£6.79
$11.33฿373
-18.98%
Apples(1kg)
$2.04£1.51
$2.95฿97.0
-30.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.25£0.93
$1.72฿56.6
-27.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.53£1.87
$2.32฿76.5
9.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.18£0.87
$2.08฿68.5
-43.27%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52£1.12
$1.47฿48.37
3.40%
Onion(1kg)
$1.08£0.80
$1.36฿44.68
-20.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99£0.74
$1.10฿36.15
-10.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22£0.91
$0.57฿18.90
114.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$23.69£17.52
$4.27฿140
454.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.76£7.22
$18.42฿606
-47.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68£1.98
$1.87฿61.6
43.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87£3.60
$2.92฿96.1
66.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.51£1.86
$2.22฿73.0
13.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$96.5£71.4
$22.90฿753
321.44%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.26£4.63
$3.03฿99.7
106.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.12£3.05
$1.07฿35.34
285.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.93฿129
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89£1.40
$1.49฿49.09
26.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K£28.6K
$27.1K฿892.5K
42.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.8K£30.2K
$27.5K฿903.2K
48.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$201£149
$103฿3,382
95.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.67£17.51
$10.99฿362
115.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.73£30.13
$17.51฿576
132.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$77.6£57.4
$53.5฿1,761
44.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.78£10.19
$11.20฿368
23.04%
Cinema Ticket
$15.87£11.74
$7.48฿246
112.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,481£1,096
$557฿18.3K
165.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.0K£14.1K
$11.9K฿390.0K
60.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.4£44.69
$64.1฿2,108
-5.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.50£35.14
$29.07฿957
63.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.6£64.8
$96.0฿3,157
-8.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102£75.3
$90.3฿2,972
12.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,095£810
$730฿24.0K
49.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$871£644
$500฿16.4K
74.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,563£1,156
$2,090฿68.8K
-25.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272£941
$1,209฿39.8K
5.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,058£3,002
$3,596฿118.3K
12.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,069£2,270
$2,512฿82.7K
22.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,491£1,843
$503฿16.6K
394.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.3
5.57
-4.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Shrewsbury, Shropshire: September 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,095 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Shrewsbury, Shropshire pays 395% 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: $56.0 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $273, with Shrewsbury, Shropshire 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
Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Shrewsbury, Shropshire?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Phuket?
Average pay runs 395% higher in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Shrewsbury, Shropshire and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,095 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,481 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $557 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 Shrewsbury, Shropshire and in Phuket?
Shoppers in Shrewsbury, Shropshire pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Shrewsbury, Shropshire or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,061 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 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 65% less than in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs other spots: cost of living compared