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: $2,991 in Stanley versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,581 in Stanley versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,172 in Stanley versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Stanley is roughly 139% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Stanley is 118% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.57 FKP 20.34

$4.56 ฿150

504.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 FKP 60.4

$32.62 ฿1,073

150.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

Cappuccino

$4.35 FKP 3.21

$2.80 ฿92.2

55.36%

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

$2.27 FKP 1.68

$0.88 ฿28.94

157.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 FKP 1.06

$0.49 ฿16.08

193.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 FKP 3.23

$2.39 ฿78.5

82.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 FKP 1.91

$3.71 ฿122

-30.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 FKP 1.71

$1.79 ฿58.8

29.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 FKP 2.32

$1.44 ฿47.40

118.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 FKP 0.68

$1.58 ฿52.1

-41.14%

Eggs

$7.34 FKP 5.41

$2.13 ฿69.9

244.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.90 FKP 2.14

$19.92 ฿655

-85.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 FKP 7.12

$3.43 ฿113

181.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 FKP 8.99

$11.33 ฿372

7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$9.38 FKP 6.92

$2.95 ฿97.0

217.97%

Banana (1kg)

$5.59 FKP 4.12

$1.72 ฿56.6

225.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.76 FKP 7.94

$2.32 ฿76.5

363.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.09 FKP 5.97

$2.08 ฿68.4

288.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 FKP 2.35

$1.47 ฿48.34

117.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 FKP 0.56

$1.36 ฿44.65

-44.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.40 FKP 3.25

$1.10 ฿36.13

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.54 FKP 12.20

$4.27 ฿140

287.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 FKP 9.11

$18.42 ฿606

-32.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 FKP 1.84

$2.92 ฿96.1

-14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 FKP 5.12

$3.03 ฿99.6

129.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 FKP 1.20

$1.49 ฿49.06

9.40%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$396 FKP 292

$103 ฿3,380

285.18%

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

$78.7 FKP 58.1

$10.99 ฿361

616.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$462 FKP 341

$17.51 ฿576

2539.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.49 FKP 16.59

$53.5 ฿1,760

-57.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$12.39 FKP 9.14

$7.48 ฿246

65.64%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 FKP 85.5

$64.1 ฿2,107

80.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$93.6 FKP 69.0

$29.07 ฿956

221.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 FKP 121

$96.0 ฿3,155

71.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 FKP 78.5

$90.3 ฿2,970

17.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 FKP 1,099

$730 ฿24.0K

103.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 FKP 795

$500 ฿16.4K

115.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 FKP 1,976

$2,090 ฿68.7K

28.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 FKP 1,822

$1,209 ฿39.8K

104.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,092 FKP 3,019

$503 ฿16.6K

712.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

5.57

39.14%

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

Last update for Stanley: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Stanley and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stanley pays 713% 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: $82.0 in Stanley vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $273 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, Clothing & Footwear. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 713% higher in Stanley, 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: $1,489 in Stanley versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Stanley. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $82.0 in Stanley. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,991 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 139% less than in Stanley. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.