Cost of Living Comparison Between Barlad and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Barlad and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Barlad vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,576 per month in Barlad vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Barlad vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Barlad is about 19% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barlad and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Barlad 24% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.70 RON 42.10

$4.66 ฿150

108.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.51 RON 198

$46.44 ฿1,496

-2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 34.64

$8.68 ฿280

-8.06%

Cappuccino

$2.64 RON 11.47

$2.95 ฿95.0

-10.51%

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

$2.00 RON 8.70

$0.70 ฿22.52

185.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.63

$0.39 ฿12.70

351.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 9.87

$2.53 ฿81.6

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 11.88

$3.78 ฿122

-27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.67

$2.22 ฿71.5

-30.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 RON 5.33

$1.80 ฿57.8

-31.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.53

$2.19 ฿70.4

-21.00%

Eggs

$3.39 RON 14.70

$2.31 ฿74.5

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 RON 37.63

$19.34 ฿623

-55.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 29.33

$3.77 ฿121

79.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 RON 44.27

$13.22 ฿426

-22.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 4.92

$3.33 ฿107

-66.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.69

$1.65 ฿53.1

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 6.96

$2.29 ฿73.7

-30.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.36

$1.99 ฿64.1

-3.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.59

$1.53 ฿49.24

-45.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$1.51 ฿48.77

-35.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.77

$1.03 ฿33.12

-15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.33

$0.51 ฿16.57

50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 25.01

$4.41 ฿142

30.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 RON 34.26

$19.41 ฿625

-59.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.63

$1.80 ฿58.0

-40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.40

$2.68 ฿86.4

-36.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.04

$1.43 ฿46.11

-51.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.2

$11.70 ฿377

67.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$3.04 ฿97.9

-76.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.19

$1.04 ฿33.37

-29.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 29.57

$13.68 ฿441

-50.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.65

$1.30 ฿41.85

17.69%

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

$28.3K RON 122.8K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

1.45%

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

$27.2K RON 118.2K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-17.58%

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

$152 RON 659

$123 ฿3,962

23.46%

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

$7.89 RON 34.24

$13.82 ฿445

-42.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.04 RON 39.25

$18.86 ฿608

-52.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 RON 180

$61.2 ฿1,970

-32.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 RON 82.8

$16.81 ฿541

13.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 RON 29.81

$8.87 ฿286

-22.55%

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

$424 RON 1,840

$696 ฿22.4K

-39.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,014 RON 30.4K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-56.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 RON 292

$59.3 ฿1,910

13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.54 RON 167

$34.85 ฿1,123

10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 RON 327

$113 ฿3,646

-33.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 RON 407

$85.1 ฿2,740

10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 RON 1,705

$615 ฿19.8K

-36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,280

$448 ฿14.4K

-34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,510

$2,085 ฿67.2K

-72.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,933

$1,496 ฿48.2K

-70.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,024 RON 8,782

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-45.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 RON 6,737

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-41.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

5.33

23.08%

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

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Barlad versus $615 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Barlad versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $291 – making Barlad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Barlad vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,024 in Barlad, $1,270 in Phuket – roughly 24% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Barlad and $1,904 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barlad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Barlad and $696 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,024 in Barlad to $1,270 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barlad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.