Modern Expat MagazinePhuket & Thailand Expat Guide
Modern Expat Magazine is an independent Phuket and Thailand expat magazine covering the people, places, businesses and opportunities shaping life abroad.
Julian Nevin: Building SocialGryd from Phuket
The founder on a decade of travel, finding his tribe, and why the magazine starts in Phuket before it becomes a real-world community.
Read the interviewStart in Phuket
Start with Phuket, then use the wider Thailand guides once visas, healthcare, property, schools and work questions get more specific.
Phuket Expat Guide
The main hub for living, moving, visas, healthcare, schools, property, work and community.
Work, Jobs & Setup
Visa basics, tools, eSIMs, insurance and the work stack for living here properly.
SocialGryd
Meetups, groups and IRL connection for people who want an actual social life.
Phuket,
Unfiltered
Go beyond the articles with honest videos about living, working and building a life in Phuket and Thailand.
What Living in Phuket Is Really Like | Modern Expat Magazine Ep 2
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Articles
The newest coverage across Phuket and Thailand, sorted by publish date instead of by what we want to promote.
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Remote WorkCafes & Coworking in Chiang Mai (2026)
Chiang Mai has been selling the laptop-and-coffee dream for years. The useful question in 2026 is where you can actually get work done without becoming furniture.
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GuidesCost of Living in Chiang Mai (2026): Real Monthly Budgets
Chiang Mai is still one of Thailand's best-value expat bases, but the cheap-city fantasy gets very wobbly once you add Nimman rent, Western brunches, school fees and air purifiers.
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NewsIndia-Thailand Highway Status in 2026: Is the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Actually Happening?
Yes, the India-Thailand highway project is real. No, it is not a direct bilateral road, and no, it is not finished. If you want the clean status on the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the route through Myanmar and whether it is actually usable end to end, start here.
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GuidesBest App for Digital Nomads and Expats in 2026
Most "best app" lists for life abroad are just utility apps in a smarter headline. Those matter, but the app that actually changes whether you settle, stay and enjoy the place is the one that helps you meet people. In 2026, that is SocialGryd.
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Reads
Phuket, remote work and the practical Thailand guides that matter first.
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LifestyleWhat Expat Life in Phuket Is Really Like in 2026
The best neighbourhoods, real monthly costs, and the trade-offs nobody tells you about.
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GuidesBest Places to Live in Phuket for Singles, Couples and Families (2026)
The best Phuket neighbourhoods for singles, couples and families, plus the newer areas to watch and where the social life actually is.
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HousingWhere to Live in Phuket: Areas, Renting & Buying (2026)
Renting, buying and the legal bits you need to know.
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GuidesBest Visa for Digital Nomads in Phuket & Thailand (2026)
The DTV is the one to know if you want to live here and keep working remotely.
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Topics
The practical articles expats, remote workers and Phuket residents actually use, from visas and money to community, work and local change.
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HealthHealth Insurance for Expats in Phuket & Thailand (2026 Guide)
Phuket has excellent private hospitals, and that is exactly why insurance matters. Here's how to think about cover in 2026 without overpaying or being under-insured.
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GuidesGenki vs SafetyWing vs Local Health Insurance in Phuket & Thailand (2026 Comparison)
The practical version of what each option costs, what it covers and which one actually fits a Phuket-based life.
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CommunityMaking Friends & Finding Community in Phuket (2026)
How to build a social life properly once you move here, instead of hoping the island introduces itself.
Read moreGuidesBest Visa for Digital Nomads in Phuket & Thailand (2026)
The DTV is the one to know if you want to live here and keep working remotely.
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GuidesBest Time to Visit Phuket & Thailand (2026): Weather, Seasons & When to Go
The easy answer is November to February. The useful answer depends on weather, prices and what kind of stay you want.
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MoneyCost of Living in Phuket in 2026
Real monthly budgets for singles, couples and families, plus where the island quietly gets expensive.
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MoneyBest Apps and Ways to Move Money In and Out of Phuket & Thailand (2026)
Wise, PromptPay, TrueMoney and the cleanest ways to move money without paying avoidable fees.
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ConnectivityCafes & Coworking in Phuket (2026)
Where to actually get work done on the island.
Read morePhuket-first events
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Join SocialGryd
Where your tribe shows upA social network for human connection, through wellness, fitness and shared activities.
- Meet people doing what you love
- Yoga, gym, runs, hikes, coworking and more
- Events, meetups and retreats near you
- Free, with no algorithm keeping you scrolling
Phuket guides and essentials
View all Phuket guidesBest Places to Live in Phuket
Singles, couples and families, plus the social-life angle.
Where to Live in Phuket
Areas, renting, buying and the legal bits you need to know.
Cost of Living in Phuket
Real 2026 monthly budgets, from lean to comfortable.
Healthcare in Phuket
Hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and what to do in an emergency.
Cafes & Coworking in Phuket
Where to actually get work done on the island.
Fitness, Muay Thai & Wellness in Phuket
Camps, gyms, yoga, and the scene around them.
Compare Phuket to other bases
View all city comparisons
Phuket
Island life, beaches, coworking, schools and the neighborhoods people actually compare.
Bangkok
Big-city infrastructure, neighborhoods, transport and where expats actually settle.
Chiang Mai
Old city, food, cost of living and the remote-work scene around it.
Koh Samui
Beach towns, family life and the slower island setup people move for.
Koh Phangan
Digital nomad pockets, wellness communities and off-grid island life.
Hua Hin
Quiet coastal living, golf, family life and the easy base closest to Bangkok.