Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Battambang and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Battambang: $661 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Battambang, Cambodia
Phuket, Thailand
Battambang
🇰🇭 Cambodia
$661
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Battambang and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Battambang and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $661 in Battambang versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Battambang $661
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,046 in Battambang versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Battambang $1,046
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,431 in Battambang versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Battambang $1,431
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Battambang costs roughly 48% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Battambang 51% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.43 ៛9,886
$4.47 ฿151
-45.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.26 ៛74.4K
$32.41 ฿1,093
-43.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.31 ៛25.7K
$8.81 ฿297
-28.38%
Cappuccino
$1.37 ៛5,564
$2.83 ฿95.4
-51.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 ៛2,718
$0.87 ฿29.41
-22.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ៛1,938
$0.49 ฿16.65
-2.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.84 ៛3,419
$2.56 ฿86.3
-67.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 ៛9,106
$3.68 ฿124
-39.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 ៛9,176
$1.66 ฿55.9
35.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 ៛4,130
$1.46 ฿49.31
-30.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 ៛4,148
$1.50 ฿50.5
-32.00%
Eggs
$1.72 ៛7,023
$2.09 ฿70.5
-17.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.23 ៛58.0K
$19.07 ฿643
-25.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.43 ៛9,890
$3.30 ฿111
-26.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.45 ៛38.5K
$10.91 ฿368
-13.38%
Apples (1kg)
$4.26 ៛17.3K
$2.93 ฿98.9
45.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 ៛5,213
$1.69 ฿57.0
-24.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.60 ៛18.7K
$2.25 ฿75.8
104.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.92 ៛7,844
$2.08 ฿70.0
-7.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 ៛7,186
$1.51 ฿51.0
16.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.14 ៛4,627
$1.38 ฿46.52
-17.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.78 ៛3,164
$1.07 ฿35.96
-27.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ៛3,057
$0.52 ฿17.51
44.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.92 ៛7,820
$4.20 ฿142
-54.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.89 ៛44.4K
$18.79 ฿634
-42.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 ៛2,616
$1.82 ฿61.5
-64.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 ៛3,984
$2.84 ฿95.8
-65.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿48.98
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$56.7 ฿1,912
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.85 ៛3,472
$3.02 ฿102
-71.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.89 ៛3,637
$1.02 ฿34.33
-12.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.96 ៛20.2K
$3.69 ฿125
34.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 ៛4,887
$1.47 ฿49.76
-18.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K ៛143.5M
$26.8K ฿903.4K
31.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K ៛139.7M
$26.7K ฿900.5K
28.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.2 ៛261.6K
$96.4 ฿3,251
-33.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.72 ៛11.1K
$11.26 ฿380
-75.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.32 ៛103.2K
$16.85 ฿568
50.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.07 ៛89.9K
$67.2 ฿2,268
-67.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.73 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.03 ៛20.5K
$7.50 ฿253
-32.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$89.2 ៛363.6K
$476 ฿16.1K
-81.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,929 ៛16.0M
$11.3K ฿380.0K
-65.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.29 ៛82.7K
$62.4 ฿2,104
-67.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.97 ៛97.7K
$28.41 ฿958
-15.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.0 ៛366.6K
$94.3 ฿3,181
-4.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.81 ៛182.6K
$85.8 ฿2,895
-47.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$228 ៛930.9K
$716 ฿24.2K
-68.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$153 ៛621.8K
$491 ฿16.6K
-68.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$420 ៛1.7M
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-78.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$322 ៛1.3M
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-77.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Battambang
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$203 ៛826.8K
$502 ฿16.9K
-59.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.25
5.57
30.16%

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

Last update for Battambang: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Battambang
$230
Phuket
$266 15.6% $36
Accommodation & Living
Battambang
$153
Phuket
$491 222% $338
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Battambang
$92
Phuket
$124 35% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Battambang
$81
Phuket
$122 51.3% $41
Eating Out
Battambang
$68
Phuket
$122 79.1% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Battambang
$32
Phuket
$82 156% $50
Getting Around
Battambang
$5.3 *
Phuket
$71 1227% $65

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $228 in Battambang and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 2.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $18 in Battambang vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $266 per month, with Battambang cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇰🇭 Battambang
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
23:52 11:52 PM
23:52 11:52 PM
Same time as Battambang
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
196,709
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KHR – Cambodian Riel Converter

Cambodian Riel exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 4,075 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.45 USD). 1 EUR = 4,550 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.2 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Battambang Phuket 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Battambang
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Battambang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Battambang or Phuket?
Battambang wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Battambang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Battambang or in Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Battambang. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Battambang compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $228 in Battambang versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Battambang and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $89 in Battambang versus $476 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Battambang and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Battambang – a meal for two runs $18 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Battambang or in Phuket?
At $661 in Battambang versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 budget is realistic in Battambang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Battambang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Battambang or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Battambang delivers better value at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Battambang hard to pass up.
How safe is Battambang compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Battambang and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Battambang or to Phuket?
It comes down to priorities – Battambang wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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