Cost of Living Comparison Between Solihull and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Solihull and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,387 in Solihull versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Solihull versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,702 in Solihull versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Solihull is roughly 91% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Solihull is 79% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.73 £15.43
$4.55 ฿153
355.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.2 £58.2
$46.18 ฿1,553
69.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 £7.80
$8.84 ฿297
18.44%
Cappuccino
$4.69 £3.49
$3.06 ฿103
53.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 £1.78
$0.73 ฿24.40
227.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 £1.33
$0.40 ฿13.39
347.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.72 £5.00
$2.43 ฿81.8
176.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.05 £4.50
$3.78 ฿127
60.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 £1.28
$2.26 ฿76.0
-23.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 £1.20
$1.81 ฿60.9
-11.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.68 £1.99
$2.25 ฿75.8
19.11%
Eggs
$5.30 £3.95
$2.25 ฿75.5
135.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.11 £7.53
$19.51 ฿656
-48.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.32 £6.19
$3.65 ฿123
127.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.29 £10.64
$13.05 ฿439
9.50%
Apples (1kg)
$4.11 £3.06
$3.23 ฿109
27.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 £1.17
$1.62 ฿54.4
-3.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 £1.47
$2.38 ฿80.1
-16.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.55 £4.13
$2.03 ฿68.1
173.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 £1.23
$1.53 ฿51.6
8.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 £1.10
$1.50 ฿50.5
-1.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 £1.00
$0.98 ฿32.91
36.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 £0.98
$0.52 ฿17.39
151.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.40 £14.44
$4.44 ฿149
336.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.61 £7.16
$18.32 ฿616
-47.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 £2.50
$1.86 ฿62.7
80.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 £3.14
$2.68 ฿90.1
57.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.21 £2.39
$1.41 ฿47.46
127.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.0 £65.5
$11.70 ฿393
651.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.86 £5.10
$3.11 ฿105
120.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 £1.06
$1.04 ฿35.06
37.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.18 £17.25
$14.11 ฿474
64.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.48
$1.31 ฿44.10
51.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.5K
$27.8K ฿935.4K
37.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K £29.1K
$33.2K ฿1.1M
17.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$292 £217
$122 ฿4,118
138.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.57 £13.83
$13.59 ฿457
36.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.16 £35.11
$18.70 ฿629
152.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 £40.61
$60.5 ฿2,034
-9.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98 ฿571
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.79 £11.01
$9.07 ฿305
63.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,691 £1,259
$706 ฿23.8K
139.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.4K £14.5K
$15.8K ฿531.5K
22.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.9 £70.7
$58.6 ฿1,969
62.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.89 £35.65
$35.36 ฿1,189
35.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 £90.2
$115 ฿3,883
4.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 £88.7
$83.7 ฿2,816
42.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 £899
$626 ฿21.0K
93.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$982 £731
$445 ฿15.0K
120.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,035 £1,515
$2,040 ฿68.6K
-0.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,666 £1,240
$1,492 ฿50.2K
11.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,560 £4,140
$3,483 ฿117.1K
59.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,621 £2,696
$2,577 ฿86.7K
40.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Solihull
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,740 £3,529
$500 ฿16.8K
848.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
5.33
7.69%

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

Last update for Solihull: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Solihull and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solihull pays 848% 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: $78.0 in Solihull vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $289 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
Solihull vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Solihull?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Solihull or Phuket?
Average pay runs 848% higher in Solihull, 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 Solihull and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Solihull versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,691 in Solihull versus $706 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 Solihull and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Solihull. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Solihull or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,387 in Solihull, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Solihull. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Solihull or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Solihull, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Solihull or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Solihull 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 91% less than in Solihull. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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