Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Totnes and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,559 in Totnes, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Totnes
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,559
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Totnes and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Totnes and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,559 in Totnes versus $1,208 in Phuket.

  • Totnes $2,559
  • Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,763 in Totnes versus $2,027 in Phuket.

  • Totnes $3,763
  • Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,967 in Totnes versus $2,845 in Phuket.

  • Totnes $4,967
  • Phuket $2,845

Living in Totnes is roughly 112% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Totnes is 89% above, Phuket is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.89 £15.67
$4.40 ฿147
374.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100.0 £75.0
$32.26 ฿1,078
209.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.14 £9.11
$8.76 ฿293
38.58%
Cappuccino
$4.89 £3.67
$2.83 ฿94.5
72.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 £2.30
$0.90 ฿30.14
240.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 £1.57
$0.47 ฿15.56
344.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.69 £5.02
$2.55 ฿85.2
162.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.35 £5.51
$3.83 ฿128
91.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 £1.27
$1.73 ฿57.7
-2.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 £1.12
$1.47 ฿49.11
1.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 £1.66
$1.51 ฿50.6
46.36%
Eggs
$4.20 £3.15
$2.17 ฿72.7
93.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.18 £4.64
$19.70 ฿658
-68.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.89 £8.92
$3.34 ฿112
255.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.75 £9.56
$11.16 ฿373
14.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 £1.65
$2.85 ฿95.1
-22.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 £1.34
$1.70 ฿56.9
4.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 £1.47
$2.19 ฿73.3
-10.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 £1.63
$2.05 ฿68.4
5.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.17 £1.63
$1.45 ฿48.57
49.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 £0.95
$1.38 ฿46.16
-7.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.94 £1.46
$1.07 ฿35.69
81.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 £1.46
$0.51 ฿16.91
280.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.85 £17.89
$4.26 ฿142
459.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.79 £7.34
$18.58 ฿621
-47.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 £2.13
$1.78 ฿59.7
59.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 £1.81
$2.85 ฿95.2
-15.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.03 £3.02
$2.26 ฿75.6
78.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 £71.9
$22.10 ฿738
333.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.41 £2.55
$3.01 ฿101
13.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 £1.83
$1.06 ฿35.34
129.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.93 £24.70
$3.86 ฿129
753.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.57
$1.45 ฿48.45
44.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.7K
$26.3K ฿879.9K
45.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K £29.8K
$26.9K ฿900.4K
47.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$366 £274
$96.4 ฿3,221
279.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.02 £12.02
$11.04 ฿369
45.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.55 £32.68
$17.14 ฿573
154.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.72 £34.30
$52.2 ฿1,744
-12.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.16 ฿373
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.96 £15.73
$7.81 ฿261
168.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,264 £1,699
$556 ฿18.6K
307.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.6K £25.9K
$11.6K ฿387.0K
198.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3 £66.2
$64.2 ฿2,146
37.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.61 £37.22
$28.69 ฿959
72.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$156 £117
$95.4 ฿3,187
63.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 £107
$88.0 ฿2,940
61.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 £973
$737 ฿24.6K
75.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,098 £824
$462 ฿15.5K
137.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,795 £1,346
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-14.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,815 £1,362
$1,201 ฿40.1K
51.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,128 £3,847
$3,488 ฿116.6K
47.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,321 £3,242
$2,523 ฿84.3K
71.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Totnes
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
5.57
-10.95%

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

Last update for Totnes: October 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Totnes
$1.1K
Phuket
$462 57.9% $636
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Totnes
$425
Phuket
$125 70.7% $301
Eating Out
Totnes
$331
Phuket
$121 63.4% $210
Groceries & Markets
Totnes
$293
Phuket
$269 8.2% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Totnes
$196
Phuket
$124 36.7% $72
Getting Around
Totnes
$128
Phuket
$39 69.1% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Totnes
$88
Phuket
$68 22.7% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Totnes and $737 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Totnes vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $269 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Totnes
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
18:22 6:22 PM
00:22 12:22 AM
6 h ahead of Totnes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,000
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Totnes Phuket 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Totnes
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Totnes vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Totnes?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,839 in Totnes and $1,813 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 Totnes and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,297 in Totnes versus $737 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,264 in Totnes versus $556 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 Totnes and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Totnes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Totnes or in Phuket?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,559 in Totnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Totnes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Totnes or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Totnes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Totnes or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Totnes 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 112% less than in Totnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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