😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,292 in Stourbridge versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,443 in Stourbridge versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Stourbridge versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Stourbridge is roughly 83% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Stourbridge is 72% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.11£14.97
$4.55฿153
341.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.1£59.7
$46.18฿1,553
73.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.39£6.99
$8.84฿297
6.22%
Cappuccino
$4.47£3.33
$3.06฿103
46.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36£1.76
$0.73฿24.40
223.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80£1.34
$0.40฿13.39
350.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.45£4.06
$2.43฿81.8
124.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06£4.51
$3.78฿127
60.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42£1.06
$2.26฿76.0
-37.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.46£1.09
$1.81฿60.9
-19.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.14£1.59
$2.25฿75.8
-4.89%
Eggs
$3.75£2.79
$2.25฿75.5
66.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.64£7.18
$19.51฿656
-50.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.97£5.93
$3.65฿123
118.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.31£9.91
$13.05฿439
1.99%
Apples(1kg)
$2.59£1.93
$3.23฿109
-19.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50£1.12
$1.62฿54.4
-7.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.97£1.46
$2.38฿80.1
-17.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.84£2.11
$2.03฿68.1
39.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.67£1.24
$1.53฿51.6
9.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48£1.10
$1.50฿50.5
-1.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24£0.92
$0.98฿32.91
26.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36£1.02
$0.52฿17.39
161.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$18.89£14.06
$4.44฿149
325.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.24£8.37
$18.32฿616
-38.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83£2.11
$1.86฿62.7
52.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40£1.78
$2.68฿90.1
-10.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.45£2.57
$1.41฿47.46
144.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$87.7£65.3
$11.70฿393
649.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.21£4.62
$3.11฿105
99.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.18£0.88
$1.04฿35.06
13.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$23.21£17.28
$14.11฿474
64.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.92£1.43
$1.31฿44.10
46.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K£28.6K
$27.8K฿935.4K
38.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K£29.3K
$33.2K฿1.1M
18.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$330£246
$122฿4,118
169.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.36£12.93
$13.59฿457
27.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.41£25.62
$18.70฿629
84.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.81£34.11
$60.5฿2,034
-24.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98฿571
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.48£13.76
$9.07฿305
103.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,590£1,184
$706฿23.8K
125.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.3K£14.4K
$15.8K฿531.5K
22.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.9£74.4
$58.6฿1,969
70.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68£30.29
$35.36฿1,189
15.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.0£64.7
$115฿3,883
-24.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140£104
$83.7฿2,816
67.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,223£910
$626฿21.0K
95.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$987£735
$445฿15.0K
121.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,017£1,501
$2,040฿68.6K
-1.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,682£1,252
$1,492฿50.2K
12.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,589£3,417
$3,483฿117.1K
31.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,577฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stourbridge
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$500฿16.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.45
5.33
2.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Stourbridge: July 11, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,223 in Stourbridge and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $80.0 in Stourbridge vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $289, with Stourbridge cheaper for home cooking.
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
Stourbridge vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Stourbridge?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,438 in Stourbridge and $1,875 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Stourbridge and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,223 in Stourbridge versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,590 in Stourbridge versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Stourbridge and in Phuket?
Shoppers in Stourbridge pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Stourbridge or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,292 in Stourbridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stourbridge. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Stourbridge or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stourbridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Stourbridge or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Stourbridge 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Stourbridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Stourbridge vs other spots: cost of living compared