🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Babahoyo versus $1,264 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Babahoyo versus $2,256 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,744 in Babahoyo versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Babahoyo costs roughly 31% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Babahoyo34% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.48$3.48
$4.48฿150
-22.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.45$25.45
$45.59฿1,521
-44.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.12$7.12
$8.76฿292
-18.72%
Cappuccino
$2.51$2.51
$2.97฿99.0
-15.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87$0.87
$0.69฿22.90
26.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70$0.70
$0.39฿13.04
79.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.94$1.94
$2.53฿84.4
-23.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41$3.41
$3.75฿125
-9.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09$1.09
$2.15฿71.6
-49.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63$1.63
$1.82฿60.6
-10.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56$1.56
$2.18฿72.9
-28.44%
Eggs
$2.20$2.20
$2.25฿75.0
-2.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.91$5.91
$20.00฿667
-70.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.67$5.67
$3.63฿121
56.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.43$6.43
$13.56฿452
-52.58%
Apples(1kg)
$2.04$2.04
$3.24฿108
-37.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.04$1.04
$1.64฿54.6
-36.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.10$1.10
$2.33฿77.8
-52.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.04$1.04
$2.07฿69.1
-49.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.45$1.45
$1.55฿51.6
-6.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.03$1.03
$1.46฿48.54
-29.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.68$0.68
$0.98฿32.86
-30.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06$1.06
$0.48฿16.09
120.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77$5.77
$4.35฿145
32.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.31$9.31
$18.57฿620
-49.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.57$1.57
$1.86฿61.9
-15.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75$2.75
$2.65฿88.6
3.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34$0.34
$1.42฿47.28
-76.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.32$24.32
$11.57฿386
110.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.28$1.28
$3.17฿106
-59.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.98$0.98
$1.03฿34.41
-4.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.06$10.06
$13.89฿463
-27.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.68$0.68
$1.34฿44.84
-49.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K$19.7K
$27.8K฿927.1K
-29.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1K$29.1K
$33.4K฿1.1M
-12.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$37.34$37.34
$123฿4,105
-69.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89$13.89
$13.77฿459
0.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.01$31.01
$18.33฿611
69.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.50$29.50
$60.7฿2,025
-51.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.91$14.91
$17.16฿573
-13.11%
Cinema Ticket
$7.01$7.01
$8.87฿296
-20.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$254$254
$688฿22.9K
-63.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,615$5,615
$15.8K฿526.4K
-64.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7$55.7
$59.3฿1,978
-6.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.82$42.82
$34.69฿1,157
23.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.3$97.3
$115฿3,843
-15.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.5$65.5
$83.8฿2,794
-21.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$342$342
$621฿20.7K
-44.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$322$322
$446฿14.9K
-27.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626$626
$2,034฿67.8K
-69.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$499$499
$1,496฿49.9K
-66.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,116$1,116
$3,455฿115.3K
-67.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$695$695
$2,531฿84.4K
-72.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.6
5.33
98.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Babahoyo: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Babahoyo and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $25.00 in Babahoyo vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $291 per month, with Babahoyo 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
Babahoyo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Babahoyo or Phuket?
Babahoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Babahoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Babahoyo and in Phuket?
You'd need roughly $1,317 in Babahoyo and $1,896 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Babahoyo compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $342 in Babahoyo versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Babahoyo and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $254 in Babahoyo versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Babahoyo or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Babahoyo or in Phuket?
At $878 in Babahoyo versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Babahoyo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Babahoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Babahoyo or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Babahoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $878 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Babahoyo hard to pass up.
How safe is Babahoyo compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Babahoyo 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Babahoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.