Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Southampton and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,784 in Southampton versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $8,320 in Southampton versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $12.9K in Southampton versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Southampton is roughly 199% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Southampton is 174% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$54.6 BMD 54.6

$4.66 ฿153

1071.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$151 BMD 151

$32.22 ฿1,059

368.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.12 BMD 17.12

$8.68 ฿285

97.24%

Cappuccino

$6.22 BMD 6.22

$2.90 ฿95.3

114.48%

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

$3.03 BMD 3.03

$0.84 ฿27.75

260.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 BMD 3.03

$0.49 ฿16.08

518.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 BMD 7.54

$2.48 ฿81.6

204.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 BMD 8.98

$3.73 ฿123

140.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.60 BMD 4.60

$1.89 ฿62.0

143.39%

White Bread (500g)

$8.26 BMD 8.26

$1.41 ฿46.31

485.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 BMD 5.60

$1.62 ฿53.3

245.68%

Eggs

$7.41 BMD 7.41

$2.24 ฿73.7

230.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.57 BMD 18.57

$19.84 ฿652

-6.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.17 BMD 23.17

$3.48 ฿114

565.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.70 BMD 27.70

$11.37 ฿374

143.62%

Apples (1kg)

$12.72 BMD 12.72

$2.90 ฿95.3

338.62%

Banana (1kg)

$6.45 BMD 6.45

$1.72 ฿56.7

275.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.15 BMD 7.15

$2.27 ฿74.7

214.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 BMD 3.90

$2.13 ฿70.1

83.10%

Potato (1kg)

$7.19 BMD 7.19

$1.47 ฿48.49

389.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 BMD 3.08

$1.42 ฿46.69

116.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.83 BMD 6.83

$1.10 ฿36.08

520.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 BMD 3.53

$0.60 ฿19.66

488.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.56 BMD 17.56

$4.31 ฿142

307.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.29 BMD 25.29

$18.60 ฿612

35.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.08 BMD 5.08

$1.80 ฿59.2

182.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 BMD 4.52

$2.97 ฿97.5

52.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿772

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 BMD 6.59

$3.10 ฿102

112.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 BMD 2.93

$1.08 ฿35.39

171.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 BMD 71.1

$3.87 ฿127

1736.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 BMD 2.13

$1.43 ฿46.93

48.95%

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

$36.8K BMD 36.8K

$27.8K ฿913.6K

32.55%

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

$42.7K BMD 42.7K

$27.0K ฿887.2K

58.08%

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

$254 BMD 254

$105 ฿3,446

142.01%

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

$148 BMD 148

$11.39 ฿375

1196.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$159 BMD 159

$17.54 ฿577

809.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,787

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿376

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 BMD 13.57

$7.78 ฿256

74.42%

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

$1,339 BMD 1,339

$576 ฿19.0K

132.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K BMD 25.1K

$11.6K ฿380.8K

116.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BMD 91.6

$63.6 ฿2,092

44.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 BMD 69.9

$29.10 ฿957

140.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 BMD 145

$96.2 ฿3,164

50.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 BMD 127

$90.0 ฿2,960

40.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BMD 1,516

$501 ฿16.5K

202.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿69.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$8,132 BMD 8,132

$1,252 ฿41.2K

549.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,739 BMD 9,739

$508 ฿16.7K

1818.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.63

5.57

54.94%

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

Last update for Southampton: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Southampton pays 1819% 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: $151 in Southampton vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $768 vs $275 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

Southampton vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1819% higher in Southampton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,339 in Southampton versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $151 in Southampton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,784 in Southampton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Southampton. 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 Southampton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Southampton 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Southampton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.