Cost of Living Comparison Between Beihai and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Beihai and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $704 per month in Beihai vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,138 per month in Beihai vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Beihai vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Beihai is about 44% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Beihai and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Beihai47% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.82¥19.05
$4.70฿154
-40.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.25¥144
$45.37฿1,488
-53.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.78¥32.32
$8.43฿276
-43.30%
Cappuccino
$2.92¥19.78
$2.93฿96.0
-0.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46¥3.11
$0.69฿22.48
-33.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27¥1.81
$0.37฿12.04
-27.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.87¥5.87
$2.41฿79.0
-63.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12¥14.34
$3.72฿122
-43.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.78¥12.02
$2.23฿73.2
-20.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.61¥10.90
$1.83฿60.1
-12.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.90¥6.06
$2.17฿71.1
-58.53%
Eggs
$1.57¥10.61
$2.21฿72.6
-28.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.81¥86.6
$19.74฿647
-35.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.20¥21.67
$3.63฿119
-11.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.36¥70.1
$13.53฿444
-23.43%
Apples(1kg)
$1.77¥11.99
$3.28฿107
-46.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.25¥8.47
$1.61฿52.8
-22.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.36¥9.23
$2.41฿79.0
-43.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.08¥7.32
$2.08฿68.3
-48.08%
Potato(1kg)
$0.67¥4.50
$1.53฿50.1
-56.21%
Onion(1kg)
$0.97¥6.53
$1.48฿48.56
-34.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.60¥4.03
$0.99฿32.42
-39.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55¥3.69
$0.51฿16.73
7.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.15¥21.31
$4.41฿144
-28.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.43¥77.3
$19.38฿636
-41.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79¥5.33
$1.78฿58.3
-55.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60¥10.81
$2.71฿88.9
-40.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27¥1.81
$1.37฿44.96
-80.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$16.93¥115
$11.39฿374
48.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36¥9.20
$3.02฿99.0
-54.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35¥2.38
$0.99฿32.61
-64.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.86¥46.43
$14.10฿462
-51.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.13¥7.67
$1.36฿44.68
-16.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K¥129.7K
$28.2K฿924.7K
-32.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.7K¥113.1K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-49.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$46.09¥312
$122฿3,991
-62.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.87¥66.7
$13.57฿445
-27.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.52¥78.0
$18.31฿600
-37.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.94¥284
$60.2฿1,975
-30.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.82¥93.5
$17.14฿562
-19.37%
Cinema Ticket
$6.41¥43.37
$8.69฿285
-26.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$340¥2,297
$693฿22.7K
-51.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.2K¥116.5K
$15.7K฿514.4K
9.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.73¥289
$59.5฿1,952
-28.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.04¥203
$34.77฿1,140
-13.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.9¥487
$115฿3,758
-37.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.4¥503
$83.3฿2,731
-10.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$275¥1,863
$613฿20.1K
-55.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$186¥1,259
$437฿14.3K
-57.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$593¥4,011
$2,094฿68.7K
-71.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$357¥2,417
$1,509฿49.5K
-76.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,044¥20.6K
$3,749฿122.9K
-18.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,709¥11.6K
$2,616฿85.8K
-34.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beihai
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.87
5.33
-27.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Beihai: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $275 in Beihai versus $613 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 $21.00 in Beihai versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $293 – making Beihai 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
Beihai vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Beihai or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 80% more than Beihai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Beihai vs Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,055 per month in Beihai and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Beihai or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Beihai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Beihai or Phuket?
Groceries cost about 47% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Beihai vs Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Beihai and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Beihai or Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beihai, where all-in costs run around $704, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Beihai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Beihai or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Beihai costs $704 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Beihai compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Beihai or Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Beihai. 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.