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: $2,392 in Stanley versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,460 in Stanley versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,528 in Stanley versus $3,317 in Phuket.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.26 FKP 20.26

$4.55 ฿153

499.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.2 FKP 61.1

$46.18 ฿1,554

77.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.73 FKP 2.03

$3.06 ฿103

-10.78%

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

$1.80 FKP 1.34

$0.73 ฿24.42

146.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 FKP 1.03

$0.40 ฿13.40

247.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 FKP 3.40

$2.43 ฿81.8

88.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 FKP 2.46

$3.78 ฿127

-12.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 FKP 1.66

$2.26 ฿76.0

-1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 FKP 2.33

$1.81 ฿60.9

73.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 FKP 0.68

$2.25 ฿75.8

-59.56%

Eggs

$7.44 FKP 5.53

$2.25 ฿75.6

230.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 FKP 2.26

$19.51 ฿656

-84.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 FKP 4.34

$3.65 ฿123

60.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 FKP 7.22

$13.05 ฿439

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.16 FKP 5.32

$3.23 ฿109

121.67%

Banana (1kg)

$5.19 FKP 3.85

$1.62 ฿54.4

220.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 FKP 4.06

$2.38 ฿80.2

129.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 FKP 3.86

$2.03 ฿68.2

155.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 FKP 1.76

$1.53 ฿51.6

54.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 FKP 0.55

$1.50 ฿50.5

-50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.92 FKP 3.65

$0.98 ฿32.93

402.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.50 FKP 13.75

$4.44 ฿149

316.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 FKP 8.80

$18.32 ฿616

-35.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 FKP 0.87

$2.68 ฿90.2

-55.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 FKP 1.36

$1.31 ฿44.13

39.69%

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

$2,748 FKP 2,042

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-90.12%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$402 FKP 299

$122 ฿4,120

228.24%

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

$88.9 FKP 66.0

$13.59 ฿457

553.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$529 FKP 393

$18.70 ฿629

2730.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.30 FKP 11.37

$60.5 ฿2,035

-74.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.72 FKP 18.37

$16.98 ฿572

45.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 FKP 8.22

$9.07 ฿305

22.05%

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

$624 FKP 463

$706 ฿23.8K

-11.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 FKP 45.83

$115 ฿3,885

-46.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 FKP 926

$626 ฿21.1K

99.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 FKP 497

$445 ฿15.0K

50.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,222 FKP 1,651

$2,040 ฿68.7K

8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 FKP 1,015

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-8.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,978 FKP 2,956

$500 ฿16.8K

695.83%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Stanley and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stanley pays 696% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 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

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.

Average pay runs 696% 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: $1,247 in Stanley versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Stanley versus $706 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 $46.00 versus $82.0 in Stanley. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,392 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.