Cost of Living Comparison Between Telford and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Telford and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,988 in Telford versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,864 in Telford versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,740 in Telford versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Telford is roughly 59% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Telford is 49% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Telford
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.18 £11.30
$4.55 ฿153
233.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5 £55.5
$46.18 ฿1,553
61.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 £7.41
$8.84 ฿297
12.67%
Cappuccino
$4.41 £3.28
$3.06 ฿103
44.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 £2.15
$0.73 ฿24.40
294.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13 £0.84
$0.40 ฿13.39
182.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.34 £5.46
$2.43 ฿81.8
202.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.31 £5.44
$3.78 ฿127
93.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Telford
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 £1.22
$2.26 ฿76.0
-27.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.02 £0.76
$1.81 ฿60.9
-43.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 £0.98
$2.25 ฿75.8
-41.33%
Eggs
$3.45 £2.57
$2.25 ฿75.5
53.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.56 £5.63
$19.51 ฿656
-61.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.15 £6.81
$3.65 ฿123
150.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.92 £8.87
$13.05 ฿439
-8.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.44 £1.82
$3.23 ฿109
-24.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.90 £2.16
$1.62 ฿54.4
79.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.52 £1.87
$2.38 ฿80.1
5.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 £2.05
$2.03 ฿68.1
35.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 £1.37
$1.53 ฿51.6
20.92%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 £1.55
$1.50 ฿50.5
39.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 £0.73
$0.98 ฿32.91
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 £0.98
$0.52 ฿17.39
153.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.62 £15.35
$4.44 ฿149
364.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.05 £6.74
$18.32 ฿616
-50.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.07 £3.77
$1.86 ฿62.7
172.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 £2.31
$2.68 ฿90.1
16.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Telford
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.42 £2.55
$1.41 ฿47.46
142.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$132 £98.6
$11.70 ฿393
1032.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.48 £5.57
$3.11 ฿105
140.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 £0.89
$1.04 ฿35.06
15.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.16 £17.24
$14.11 ฿474
64.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 £1.46
$1.31 ฿44.10
50.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K £25.5K
$27.8K ฿935.4K
22.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.5K £30.9K
$33.2K ฿1.1M
24.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Telford
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$320 £238
$122 ฿4,118
161.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.08 £16.44
$13.59 ฿457
62.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.06 £27.59
$18.70 ฿629
98.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Telford
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.36 £36.00
$60.5 ฿2,034
-20.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98 ฿571
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.11 £11.99
$9.07 ฿305
77.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Telford
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,606 £1,195
$706 ฿23.8K
127.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.5K £25.7K
$15.8K ฿531.5K
118.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Telford
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.96 £35.71
$58.6 ฿1,969
-18.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.11 £23.16
$35.36 ฿1,189
-12.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.9 £66.9
$115 ฿3,883
-22.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 £76.2
$83.7 ฿2,816
22.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Telford
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$835 £622
$626 ฿21.0K
33.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 £497
$445 ฿15.0K
49.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 £980
$2,040 ฿68.6K
-35.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,067 £794
$1,492 ฿50.2K
-28.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,068 £3,029
$3,483 ฿117.1K
16.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,588 £6,394
$2,577 ฿86.7K
233.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Telford
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,746 £2,044
$500 ฿16.8K
449.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.1
5.33
14.45%

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

Last update for Telford: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $835 in Telford and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Telford pays 449% 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: $75.0 in Telford vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $289, with Telford 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
Telford vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Telford?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Telford or Phuket?
Average pay runs 449% higher in Telford, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Telford and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $835 in Telford 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 $1,606 in Telford 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 Telford and in Phuket?
Shoppers in Telford pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Telford or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,988 in Telford, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Telford. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Telford or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Telford, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Telford or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Telford 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 59% less than in Telford. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Telford vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities