Cost of living in Phuket, Thailand – Monthly Breakdown
After living in Rawai Phuket, Thailand for 6 months, I wanted to share a full breakdown of what day to day life actually cost us including all the figures, how we found our apartment and what to expect if you’re planning to live in Phuket long-term.
Of course, everyone’s lifestyle is different but this is what we spent month to month and I will share some tips along the way!
Rent – The Biggest Expense
For our first 3 months, we rented a large 1 bedroom apartment in Rawai for 19,000 Baht per month (£450). This had a large one bedroom, great kitchen, large balcony, excellent location too! We found it through Facebook Marketplace and it was with a Western estate agent.
After our contract ended, we got lucky. We met a Thai lady who told us her family owned the same building we were renting in and showed us another apartment on a higher floor with an incredible view! We were able to get it for 15,000 Baht per month (£355/$462). So this was a no brainer and it was cheaper and the view from the kitchen was beautiful.
To rent these properties we needed to provide:
- 1 month deposit
- Pictures of our passports
- Sign a contract
The whole process was done within 1-2 days and it was as easy as that!
Top tips for renting an apartment in Phuket:
- Before arriving in Phuket I would recommend going on Facebook Marketplace and finding different rental groups. You can search ‘Apartments for rent in (the area), ‘(the area) rental properties’. You will find a range of groups that are very active with thousands of members.
- Send out messages to agents you see on these groups or share your own post stating: what you’re looking for (apartments, house, villa), how many bedrooms, length of stay, budget and move in date. This helped agents send more accurate listing that matched what we were looking for.
- Do not sign a contract or send any money before viewing the apartment in person! I would recommend staying in a hotel for a few days to a week and getting a few viewings in a day. We stayed in a hotel for a week for £100, it wasn’t the best hotel but it did the job and gave us plenty of time to find an apartment we liked.
Utilities: Electricity, Water and Internet
Our utility bills pretty much remained consistent month to month and the only difference would be the electricity. On average we were spending 2,000 Baht per month on all utilities. This was with the air con on nearly all day everyday as the weather was not a joke in Rawai!
Water was the cheapest utility at 150 Baht consistently throughout the months regardless of how much you used, which is around £3.
For internet, we paid 650 Baht per month and the connection was fast, reliable and perfect for two people working online. This was great as we relied on having good internet for daily use and didn’t have one complaint!
For our mobile data we used AIS which my boyfriend found out about a few days into our move. We paid £5-£6 a month for unlimited data that worked great for when we wanted to order on Lazada (Amazon equivalent), use Grab for taxis and just general daily life.
To pay we were provided with a paper stating all our costs for the month and would pay in the general managers office in the apartment building or you could also pay your bill at your local 7-11.
Gym membership
Gym prices can vary quite a bit in Phuket depending on what you are looking for. We chose a slightly pricier gym as it was the closest to our apartment and it has great equipment, air con and was a good space to workout in.
We realised that if you wanted air con in a gym you were paying a premium price. gyms with air con were around £50-£65 a month depending on how long you sign up for, the longer you sign up for the bigger the discount. We saw air con as a necessity as it gets extremely hot in Phuket so working out with just fans wasn’t ideal! If you do opt for a fan only gym you are looking around £20-£30 a month for a membership.
Renting a motobike
Renting a bike is honestly a must in Phuket especially if you want to explore around. Grab taxis add up quickly and they are more expensive than in Bangkok. We rented a bike very quickly as it gives you total freedom to explore and enjoy the scenic views everywhere!
Since my boyfriend has an international driving license, renting was really straightforward. We paid between £70-£90 per month depending on the season as in high season prices can increase quite a bit.
We rented a bike from Anda Rawai Motorbikes who we would highly recommend. They had excellent communication, if we ever had any problems a technician would come quickly and overall it was a very straightforward process.
Fuel is ridiculously cheap, in a month we would pay £5 and that was with it being in use everyday travelling around the island too!
One thing to keep in mind is that Phuket traffic can be chaotic so I would only recommend riding a bike if you feel confident and safe on a bike. Also please wear a helmet, we saw way too many not wearing a helmet and speeding dangerously too,
Police checkpoints are common too, we found they were popular around Patong, Bang Tao and also driving into Rawai too. The police do stop a lot of foreigners and do ask to see proof of your international driving license.
Overall, renting a scooter was one of the best decisions we made! It definitely kept our transportation costs really low and gave us freedom to explore all over the beautiful island of Phuket.
Grocery shopping
Grocery shopping was one of the areas where our spending changed the most month to month. I really enjoyed cooking, so we often did big weekly shops at Makro. Makro (Thai version of Costco) quickly became our favourite grocery store as it was affordable and you can buy meat, fruit, vegetables, pantry items and everything in-between for cheaper than other supermarkets.
Tops Supermarket is a great supermarket for their international imports as you could find items from England, Australia, Italy, America etc. But all imported items do come with a heavy markup as something you would get in Waitrose in the UK for £3 would be £10-£12 in Tops. So unless you really miss something I wouldn’t recommend!
Big C and Super Cheap are great for everyday essentials and local Thai products. Super Cheap is like a massive warehouse selling everything you can think of from fresh produce, to household items for very affordable prices.
And of course you have 7-Eleven which everyone knows about! This is where you can get drinks, snacks (get the chocolate lava cake) and a range of items you might need. You will find a 7-Eleven absolutely everywhere and sometimes you might even see two directly opposite each other.
We did also enjoy visiting local markets for fruit and veg. It’s a great place to buy fresh produce directly from the farms and you can buy a range of fruit and veg for a great price!
Eating Out in Phuket
Eating out can be as cheap or as pricey as you want it to be! We really enjoyed eating at Kongharn Thai Restaurant and you could get a meal and side each for around £2.50-£3.50. Thai food is incredibly delicious and I’d highly recommend exploring your local Thai cuisine around you.
Western restaurants were more expensive as you would pay £5-£8 per person and this would also depend on the area and type of restaurant. We enjoyed balancing both local and Western cuisine so we could try as many food spots and enjoy them! I also noticed that vegan restaurants are more on the pricier end as well too.
If you’re planning to live long-term in Phuket, budgeting around £250 – £350 per month for food is realistic if you cook at home and also eat out too. But if you are looking at eating out for every meal especially at more Western restaurants, then you can expect that budget to double.
Overall, the food scene in Phuket was one of the best parts of living there as there is endless variety, great quality and always something new to try.
Travel insurance
For our travel insurance we used SafetyWing which is a popular option for expats. This costs us around £45 a month. We decided on SafetyWing as you ca cancel anytime and only pay month to month so it is super convenient too.
Total spend in a month
The total spend in the month was around £850-£1,050 depending on what we got up to month to month! This allowed us to live comfortably and enjoy going to cafes, restaurants, enjoying the island, staying at different hotels and just enjoying the Phuket island life.
Final thoughts: is Phuket affordable to live in?
For us it was absolutely!
Phuket gave us:
- A slower pace of life
- Incredible weather (majority of the time)
- Amazing beaches
- Great food
- A lovely community in Rawai
- Reliable internet
- Affordable rent
If you’re considering moving, I genuinely recommend it! We stayed in Rawai for the whole 6 months and it was a beautiful experience:)
I hope this guide has helped provide an insight on how much it would cost to live in Phuket and inspire you to take those next steps too!
FAQs about the cost of living in Phuket
Is Phuket expensive to live in compared to the rest of Thailand?
Phuket is definitely one of the more expensive places to live in Thailand as it is a major tourist island. That being said, the cost of living in Phuket can still be very affordable depending on where you stay. Areas like Rawai are more cheaper on average than Patong, Bang Tao and Surin.
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Phuket?
If you are looking to rent an apartment in Phuket you can pay £250-£1000 depending on what you’re looking for! On the lower end you can pay this for a studio or small 1 bedroom apartment to £1000 a month for a small villa, it all depends on your lifestyle.
Is it better to rent a scooter or use taxis in Phuket?
Renting a scooter is the cheapest and most convenient option for long-term living. Monthly scooter rentals usually cost £50-£90 depending on the bike you want, whereas Grab/taxis add up very quickly.
What’s the best area to live in Phuket long term?
This depends on your lifestyle and what you enjoy doing. Have a read on the best areas to stay in Phuket to give you an idea of the areas around Phuket and what you can expect.
Is Phuket a good place for digital nomads?
Yes! Phuket has great cafés, co-working spaces, beaches, and a huge expat community. The lifestyle is slower than Bangkok but more scenic. Just keep in mind the island can get very busy during peak season.
