Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,014 in Barrigada versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,817 in Barrigada versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,620 in Barrigada versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Barrigada is roughly 141% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrigada is 126% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$46.18 ฿1,550

112.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

Cappuccino

$3.66 $3.66

$3.06 ฿103

19.61%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$0.73 ฿24.36

156.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.37

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.43 ฿81.6

13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.78 ฿127

-2.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.26 ฿75.8

49.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$2.25 ฿75.4

112.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿122

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿438

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.85

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 $7.15

$4.44 ฿149

61.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿104

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.31 ฿44.02

12.98%

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

$27.8K ฿933.8K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$415 $415

$122 ฿4,110

239.20%

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

$101 $101

$13.59 ฿456

639.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 $79.4

$18.70 ฿628

324.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$718 $718

$706 ฿23.7K

1.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿530.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,965

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,187

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,876

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,811

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$626 ฿21.0K

298.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 $2,248

$445 ฿14.9K

405.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,365 $3,365

$2,040 ฿68.5K

64.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,165 $3,165

$1,492 ฿50.1K

112.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,819 $4,819

$500 ฿16.8K

864.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Barrigada: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,490 in Barrigada and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 864% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98.0 in Barrigada vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $53.0 vs $289, with Barrigada cheaper for home cooking.

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

Barrigada vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 864% higher in Barrigada, 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: $2,490 in Barrigada versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barrigada pay roughly 446% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,014 per month in Barrigada versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,014 in Barrigada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barrigada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barrigada 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.