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: $2,967 in Barrigada versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,782 in Barrigada versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Barrigada versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Barrigada is roughly 134% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrigada is 121% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$45.37 ฿1,482

118.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$3.67 $3.67

$2.93 ฿95.6

25.26%

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

$1.86 $1.86

$0.69 ฿22.40

169.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.41 ฿78.6

19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.72 ฿122

-2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.23 ฿72.9

57.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$2.21 ฿72.3

114.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.41 ฿144

57.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.36 ฿44.51

14.71%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$416 $416

$122 ฿3,975

241.82%

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

$98.2 $98.2

$13.57 ฿443

623.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$18.31 ฿598

334.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$717 $717

$693 ฿22.6K

3.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 $2,440

$613 ฿20.0K

297.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 $2,208

$437 ฿14.3K

405.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,336 $3,336

$2,094 ฿68.4K

59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,218 $3,218

$1,509 ฿49.3K

113.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,802 $4,802

$508 ฿16.6K

844.98%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,440 in Barrigada and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 845% 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: $99.0 in Barrigada vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $54.0 vs $293, 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 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barrigada pays 845% 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: $2,440 in Barrigada versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barrigada pay roughly 442% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,967 per month in Barrigada versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,967 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 134% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.