Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,662 in Sterling versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,921 in Sterling versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,180 in Sterling versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Sterling is roughly 111% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sterling is 100% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$4.48 ฿150

349.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 $85.8

$45.59 ฿1,521

88.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.33 $13.33

$8.76 ฿292

52.17%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.97 ฿99.0

84.51%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$0.69 ฿22.90

298.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.39 ฿13.04

497.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.53 ฿84.4

144.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$3.75 ฿125

110.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.15 ฿71.6

-54.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.82 ฿60.6

89.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.18 ฿72.9

-2.75%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$2.25 ฿75.0

116.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.22 $19.22

$20.00 ฿667

-3.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$3.63 ฿121

229.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.28 $18.28

$13.56 ฿452

34.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$3.24 ฿108

47.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.64 ฿54.6

-22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$2.33 ฿77.8

201.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$2.07 ฿69.1

213.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.55 ฿51.6

128.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.46 ฿48.54

86.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.98 ฿32.86

123.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.48 ฿16.09

408.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.16 $9.16

$4.35 ฿145

110.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 $13.84

$18.57 ฿620

-25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.86 ฿61.9

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.65 ฿88.6

93.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.42 ฿47.28

41.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.17 ฿106

45.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.03 ฿34.41

33.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.75 $28.75

$13.89 ฿463

106.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.34 ฿44.84

-38.06%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-4.50%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-24.87%

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

$205 $205

$123 ฿4,105

66.99%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$13.77 ฿459

282.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$18.33 ฿611

305.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.22 $29.22

$60.7 ฿2,025

-51.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$8.87 ฿296

68.88%

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

$1,771 $1,771

$688 ฿22.9K

157.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

50.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.30 $47.30

$59.3 ฿1,978

-20.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.30 $44.30

$34.69 ฿1,157

27.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$115 ฿3,843

-15.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$83.8 ฿2,794

44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$621 ฿20.7K

102.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$446 ฿14.9K

204.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 $2,254

$1,496 ฿49.9K

50.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,272 $3,272

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-5.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,397 $2,397

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-5.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,688 $3,688

$494 ฿16.5K

647.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.33

23.26%

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

Last update for Sterling: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Sterling and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sterling pays 647% 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: $86.0 in Sterling vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $291 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

Sterling vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 647% higher in Sterling, 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: $1,255 in Sterling versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,771 in Sterling versus $688 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 $86.0 in Sterling. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,662 in Sterling, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sterling. 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 Sterling, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sterling 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 111% less than in Sterling. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.