🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Vieux Fort versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,757 in Vieux Fort versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,480 in Vieux Fort versus $3,329 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Vieux Fort costs roughly 18% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Vieux Fort23% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.66EC$23.38
$4.70฿153
84.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.9EC$253
$45.37฿1,482
106.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.63EC$20.59
$8.43฿275
-9.49%
Cappuccino
$2.57EC$6.95
$2.93฿95.6
-12.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.69฿22.40
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23EC$3.31
$0.37฿11.99
232.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.81EC$4.88
$2.41฿78.6
-24.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61EC$7.06
$3.72฿122
-29.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
-
$2.23฿72.9
-
White Bread(500g)
$1.20EC$3.24
$1.83฿59.8
-34.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.49EC$6.71
$2.17฿70.8
14.75%
Eggs
$3.39EC$9.16
$2.21฿72.3
53.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.47EC$20.18
$19.74฿645
-62.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.12EC$32.73
$3.63฿119
233.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.63EC$58.4
$13.53฿442
59.87%
Apples(1kg)
$6.63EC$17.90
$3.28฿107
102.13%
Banana(1kg)
$3.33EC$9.00
$1.61฿52.6
106.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.91EC$13.26
$2.41฿78.6
103.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$8.33EC$22.50
$2.08฿68.1
300.48%
Potato(1kg)
$6.40EC$17.28
$1.53฿49.93
318.30%
Onion(1kg)
$3.29EC$8.88
$1.48฿48.36
122.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.80EC$4.87
$0.99฿32.29
81.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95EC$2.56
$0.51฿16.67
86.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.54EC$20.36
$4.41฿144
70.98%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$19.38฿633
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.12EC$8.42
$1.78฿58.1
75.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01EC$8.12
$2.71฿88.6
11.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.49EC$4.03
$1.37฿44.79
8.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.02฿98.6
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.99฿32.48
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$14.10฿461
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
-
$1.36฿44.51
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$28.2K฿921.1K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$32.9K฿1.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
-
$122฿3,975
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.57฿443
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$18.31฿598
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.9EC$148
$60.2฿1,967
-8.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.34EC$98.1
$17.14฿560
112.02%
Cinema Ticket
$10.26EC$27.70
$8.69฿284
18.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$693฿22.6K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$15.7K฿512.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4EC$150
$59.5฿1,944
-6.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$34.77฿1,136
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$110EC$296
$115฿3,743
-4.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.4EC$196
$83.3฿2,720
-13.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$561EC$1,516
$613฿20.0K
-8.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$351EC$948
$437฿14.3K
-19.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,112EC$3,001
$2,094฿68.4K
-46.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$442EC$1,194
$1,509฿49.3K
-70.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vieux Fort
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
5.33
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Vieux Fort: May 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $561 in Vieux Fort and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $94.0 in Vieux Fort vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $293 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
Vieux Fort vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Vieux Fort?
Vieux Fort is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,551 in Vieux Fort and $1,898 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 Vieux Fort and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $561 in Vieux Fort versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Vieux Fort and Phuket?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Vieux Fort or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Vieux Fort – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Vieux Fort or Phuket?
At $1,034 in Vieux Fort versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Vieux Fort but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vieux Fort the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Vieux Fort or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Vieux Fort is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Vieux Fort or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Vieux Fort 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 Vieux Fort gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Vieux Fort vs other spots: cost of living compared