Cost of Living Comparison Between Baku and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Baku and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Baku versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,440 in Baku versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Baku versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Baku costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baku 33% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.84 ₼15.03

$4.70 ฿153

88.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.60 ₼58.8

$45.37 ฿1,482

-23.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 ₼13.13

$8.43 ฿275

-8.30%

Cappuccino

$3.66 ₼6.22

$2.93 ฿95.6

24.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₼1.34

$0.69 ฿22.40

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₼0.75

$0.37 ฿11.99

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₼3.04

$2.41 ฿78.6

-25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₼4.93

$3.72 ฿122

-22.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₼2.33

$2.23 ฿72.9

-38.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₼0.80

$1.83 ฿59.8

-74.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ₼4.03

$2.17 ฿70.8

9.22%

Eggs

$1.36 ₼2.30

$2.21 ฿72.3

-38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₼8.90

$19.74 ฿645

-73.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₼8.26

$3.63 ฿119

33.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 ₼17.65

$13.53 ฿442

-23.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₼2.20

$3.28 ฿107

-60.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 ₼3.09

$1.61 ฿52.6

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₼2.48

$2.41 ฿78.6

-39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₼3.08

$2.08 ฿68.1

-12.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ₼1.32

$1.53 ฿49.93

-49.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₼0.82

$1.48 ฿48.36

-67.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₼0.67

$0.99 ฿32.29

-60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₼1.11

$0.51 ฿16.67

27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 ₼5.87

$4.41 ฿144

-21.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 ₼15.27

$19.38 ฿633

-53.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₼2.29

$1.78 ฿58.1

-24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₼4.79

$2.71 ฿88.6

4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₼0.51

$1.37 ฿44.79

-78.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.96 ₼30.53

$11.39 ฿372

57.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₼3.57

$3.02 ฿98.6

-30.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₼1.04

$0.99 ฿32.48

-38.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₼6.15

$14.10 ฿461

-74.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₼1.28

$1.36 ฿44.51

-44.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.6K ₼35.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-26.90%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.8K ₼37.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-33.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$60.6 ₼103

$122 ฿3,975

-50.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.97 ₼20.34

$13.57 ฿443

-11.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.13 ₼25.72

$18.31 ฿598

-17.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 ₼72.2

$60.2 ฿1,967

-29.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.86 ₼37.15

$17.14 ฿560

27.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 ₼9.91

$8.69 ฿284

-32.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$246 ₼418

$693 ฿22.6K

-64.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,448 ₼11.0K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-58.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₼99.9

$59.5 ฿1,944

-1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 ₼92.4

$34.77 ฿1,136

56.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 ₼207

$115 ฿3,743

6.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 ₼168

$83.3 ฿2,720

18.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 ₼797

$613 ฿20.0K

-23.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₼455

$437 ฿14.3K

-38.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₼1,609

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-54.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₼775

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-69.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,302 ₼3,913

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-38.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,255 ₼2,133

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-52.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$563 ₼957

$508 ฿16.6K

10.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.87

5.33

66.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baku: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Baku and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baku pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Baku vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $293 per month, with Baku 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

Baku vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baku and Phuket differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($901 vs $1,265 including rent). Baku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Baku pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $469 in Baku versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $246 in Baku versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $901 in Baku versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baku but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Baku the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Baku 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.

Expats usually find Baku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.