Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,305 per month in Best vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,211 per month in Best vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,117 per month in Best vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Best costs about 83% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Best sits 72% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.81

$4.56 ฿149

353.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €79.9

$46.63 ฿1,519

98.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.84

$8.47 ฿276

34.83%

Cappuccino

$3.39 €2.92

$3.03 ฿98.6

11.88%

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

$3.33 €2.87

$0.69 ฿22.45

382.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.39

$0.37 ฿11.92

648.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 €4.45

$2.49 ฿81.0

107.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

$3.66 ฿119

61.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.18 ฿71.0

-46.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.90 ฿62.0

9.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 €2.75

$2.20 ฿71.6

45.00%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.19

$2.22 ฿72.4

118.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 €11.48

$19.99 ฿651

-33.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.09 €13.86

$3.66 ฿119

339.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 €14.36

$13.25 ฿432

25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$3.23 ฿105

-34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.70 ฿55.3

45.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.39 ฿78.0

-18.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.17

$2.08 ฿67.7

76.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.85

$1.59 ฿51.8

34.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.48 ฿48.31

33.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.03 ฿33.54

17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.45

$0.52 ฿16.83

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 €9.00

$4.25 ฿138

145.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 €4.85

$18.79 ฿612

-70.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.76 ฿57.2

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.76 ฿89.8

-1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.36 ฿44.32

84.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €60.9

$11.36 ฿370

522.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €2.96

$3.14 ฿102

9.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.04 ฿33.74

104.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.17 €25.13

$13.77 ฿448

111.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.34 ฿43.79

67.91%

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

$25.2K €21.7K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-9.02%

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

$28.0K €24.1K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-17.36%

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

$168 €145

$124 ฿4,025

36.05%

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

$22.87 €19.71

$13.52 ฿440

69.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 €39.63

$18.69 ฿609

146.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.75 €24.78

$61.8 ฿2,013

-53.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.32 €18.37

$17.25 ฿562

23.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 €12.64

$9.14 ฿298

60.50%

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

$1,173 €1,011

$703 ฿22.9K

67.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,940 €4,256

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-68.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 €56.4

$59.5 ฿1,937

10.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 €26.55

$35.07 ฿1,142

-12.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 €75.9

$115 ฿3,754

-23.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 €57.7

$84.1 ฿2,737

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 €1,589

$619 ฿20.1K

198.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 €977

$433 ฿14.1K

162.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,205

$2,062 ฿67.2K

24.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 €1,207

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-7.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,137 €4,426

$3,646 ฿118.7K

40.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,899

$2,626 ฿85.5K

72.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,140 €3,567

$507 ฿16.5K

716.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

5.33

-34.33%

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

Last update for Best: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,844 in Best versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 716% higher in Best, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Best versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $293 – making Phuket 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

Best vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Best is pricier by about 83%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,458 per month in Best and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,305 in Best and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 522% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Best at $2,305. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Best it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Best makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.