ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $895 in Babahoyo versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in Babahoyo versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Babahoyo versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Babahoyo costs roughly 27% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Babahoyo33% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.42$3.42
$4.63āļŋ151
-26.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.26$25.26
$46.84āļŋ1,532
-46.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.05$7.05
$8.84āļŋ289
-20.25%
Cappuccino
$2.50$2.50
$3.00āļŋ98.0
-16.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92$0.92
$0.74āļŋ24.25
24.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65$0.65
$0.37āļŋ11.95
75.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.95$1.95
$2.44āļŋ79.8
-20.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44$3.44
$3.61āļŋ118
-4.71%
ð Groceries & Markets
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10$1.10
$2.26āļŋ73.9
-51.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.65$1.65
$1.84āļŋ60.1
-10.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57$1.57
$2.24āļŋ73.4
-29.91%
Eggs
$2.17$2.17
$2.32āļŋ75.7
-6.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.07$6.07
$19.67āļŋ643
-69.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.59$5.59
$3.65āļŋ119
53.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.09$6.09
$13.10āļŋ428
-53.51%
Apples(1kg)
$2.07$2.07
$3.39āļŋ111
-38.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.04$1.04
$1.64āļŋ53.7
-36.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.10$1.10
$2.41āļŋ79.0
-54.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.07$1.07
$2.03āļŋ66.4
-47.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.43$1.43
$1.56āļŋ50.9
-8.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.08$1.08
$1.50āļŋ48.94
-28.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.68$0.68
$1.02āļŋ33.50
-33.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06$1.06
$0.49āļŋ16.00
116.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.66$5.66
$4.45āļŋ145
27.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.67$8.67
$18.88āļŋ617
-54.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60$1.60
$1.78āļŋ58.1
-10.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78$2.78
$2.75āļŋ90.1
1.09%
ð Getting Around
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.37$0.37
$1.40āļŋ45.81
-73.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.38$24.38
$11.48āļŋ376
112.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.23$1.23
$3.12āļŋ102
-60.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.01$1.01
$1.00āļŋ32.67
1.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.98$9.98
$14.09āļŋ461
-29.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.69$0.69
$1.35āļŋ44.19
-48.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8K$19.8K
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
-27.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K$28.9K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-12.33%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$36.79$36.79
$125āļŋ4,087
-70.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88$13.88
$13.57āļŋ444
2.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.30$30.30
$18.52āļŋ606
63.61%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.61$29.61
$61.5āļŋ2,010
-51.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.88$14.88
$16.84āļŋ551
-11.64%
Cinema Ticket
$7.32$7.32
$9.19āļŋ300
-20.35%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$259$259
$698āļŋ22.8K
-62.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,688$5,688
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
-63.52%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3$55.3
$57.8āļŋ1,889
-4.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.44$43.44
$35.24āļŋ1,152
23.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.8$95.8
$113āļŋ3,699
-15.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.8$65.8
$86.4āļŋ2,825
-23.78%
ð Accommodation & Living
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$345$345
$616āļŋ20.1K
-44.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$314$314
$446āļŋ14.6K
-29.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$620$620
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
-69.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$492$492
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
-67.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,087$1,087
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
-71.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$736$736
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
-72.21%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Babahoyo
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.6
5.33
98.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Babahoyo: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Babahoyo and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $25.00 in Babahoyo vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $292 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 â living expenses run 38% 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 vs Phuket?
You'd need roughly $1,342 in Babahoyo and $1,847 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 vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Babahoyo versus $616 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 Phuket?
Childcare runs $259 in Babahoyo versus $698 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 Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% 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 Phuket?
At $895 in Babahoyo versus $1,232 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 â similar infrastructure at $895 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 â expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.