Cost of Living Comparison Between Belmopan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Belmopan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,116 per month in Belmopan vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,610 per month in Belmopan vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,105 per month in Belmopan vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Belmopan is about 12% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Belmopan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Belmopan 17% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.68 BZD 9.37

$4.70 ฿153

-0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.86 BZD 33.73

$45.37 ฿1,482

-62.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BZD 15.06

$8.43 ฿275

-10.68%

Cappuccino

$4.54 BZD 9.07

$2.93 ฿95.6

54.95%

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

$0.78 BZD 1.55

$0.69 ฿22.40

13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 BZD 1.04

$0.37 ฿11.99

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 BZD 2.90

$2.41 ฿78.6

-39.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BZD 4.56

$3.72 ฿122

-38.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 BZD 4.15

$2.23 ฿72.9

-6.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 BZD 3.18

$1.83 ฿59.8

-13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 BZD 3.31

$2.17 ฿70.8

-23.50%

Eggs

$1.89 BZD 3.79

$2.21 ฿72.3

-14.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 BZD 17.25

$19.74 ฿645

-56.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 BZD 13.13

$3.63 ฿119

80.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BZD 24.52

$13.53 ฿442

-9.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 BZD 2.25

$1.61 ฿52.6

-29.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 BZD 4.35

$2.41 ฿78.6

-9.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 BZD 11.31

$2.08 ฿68.1

171.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 BZD 2.89

$0.51 ฿16.67

184.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 BZD 35.56

$19.38 ฿633

-8.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 BZD 4.44

$1.78 ฿58.1

24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 BZD 4.40

$2.71 ฿88.6

-18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 BZD 7.95

$1.37 ฿44.79

189.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 BZD 6.15

$3.02 ฿98.6

1.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 BZD 5.87

$0.99 ฿32.48

196.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BZD 3.57

$1.36 ฿44.51

31.62%

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)

$152 BZD 303

$122 ฿3,975

24.50%

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

$50.8 BZD 102

$13.57 ฿443

274.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.47 BZD 73.0

$18.31 ฿598

99.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.07 BZD 88.2

$60.2 ฿1,967

-26.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 BZD 18.39

$8.69 ฿284

5.75%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.52 BZD 79.1

$59.5 ฿1,944

-33.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.11 BZD 44.23

$34.77 ฿1,136

-36.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 BZD 100

$115 ฿3,743

-56.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 BZD 126

$83.3 ฿2,720

-24.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 BZD 906

$613 ฿20.0K

-26.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 BZD 635

$437 ฿14.3K

-27.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 BZD 1,075

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-64.39%

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)

$508 ฿16.6K

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 Belmopan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Belmopan 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 $17.00 in Belmopan versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $293 – making Belmopan 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

Belmopan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,116 in Belmopan, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 13% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,674 per month in Belmopan and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Belmopan and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,116 in Belmopan and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Belmopan, where all-in costs run around $1,116, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Belmopan 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 $1,116 in Belmopan to $1,265 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 Belmopan. 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.