Cost of Living Comparison Between Stanley and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Stanley and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Stanley versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,472 in Stanley versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,528 in Stanley versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Stanley is roughly 91% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Stanley is 80% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.67 FKP 19.79

$4.70 ฿153

467.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 FKP 60.1

$45.37 ฿1,482

78.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.76 FKP 2.05

$2.93 ฿95.6

-5.80%

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

$1.90 FKP 1.41

$0.69 ฿22.40

175.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 FKP 0.98

$0.37 ฿11.99

256.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 FKP 3.25

$2.41 ฿78.6

81.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 FKP 2.49

$3.72 ฿122

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 FKP 1.74

$2.23 ฿72.9

4.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 FKP 2.37

$1.83 ฿59.8

74.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 FKP 0.69

$2.17 ฿70.8

-57.14%

Eggs

$7.88 FKP 5.85

$2.21 ฿72.3

256.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 FKP 2.24

$19.74 ฿645

-84.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 FKP 4.31

$3.63 ฿119

59.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 FKP 7.22

$13.53 ฿442

-28.09%

Apples (1kg)

$7.15 FKP 5.31

$3.28 ฿107

117.99%

Banana (1kg)

$5.18 FKP 3.85

$1.61 ฿52.6

221.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 FKP 4.07

$2.41 ฿78.6

127.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 FKP 3.92

$2.08 ฿68.1

153.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 FKP 1.77

$1.53 ฿49.93

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 FKP 0.55

$1.48 ฿48.36

-50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.03 FKP 3.73

$0.99 ฿32.29

408.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.96 FKP 14.07

$4.41 ฿144

329.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 FKP 8.89

$19.38 ฿633

-38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 FKP 0.88

$2.71 ฿88.6

-56.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 FKP 1.38

$1.36 ฿44.51

36.76%

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

$2,741 FKP 2,034

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-90.28%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$402 FKP 298

$122 ฿3,975

230.07%

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

$87.3 FKP 64.8

$13.57 ฿443

543.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$522 FKP 387

$18.31 ฿598

2750.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.99 FKP 11.13

$60.2 ฿1,967

-75.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 FKP 18.00

$17.14 ฿560

41.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 FKP 8.16

$8.69 ฿284

26.47%

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

$618 FKP 458

$693 ฿22.6K

-10.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 FKP 46.18

$115 ฿3,743

-45.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 FKP 922

$613 ฿20.0K

102.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 FKP 504

$437 ฿14.3K

55.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 FKP 1,677

$2,094 ฿68.4K

7.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 FKP 1,028

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-8.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,058 FKP 3,012

$508 ฿16.6K

698.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

31.33%

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

Last update for Stanley: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,242 in Stanley and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stanley pays 699% 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: $81.0 in Stanley vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 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

Stanley vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stanley pays 699% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,242 in Stanley versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Stanley versus $693 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 $45.00 versus $81.0 in Stanley. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,416 in Stanley, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stanley. 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 Stanley, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Stanley 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 91% less than in Stanley. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.