Cost of Living Comparison Between Biarritz and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Biarritz and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,197 in Biarritz versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,340 in Biarritz versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,484 in Biarritz versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Biarritz is roughly 74% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Biarritz is 65% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.70 €18.05
$4.48 ฿150
362.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.7 €55.5
$45.59 ฿1,525
39.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.48 €10.01
$8.76 ฿293
31.05%
Cappuccino
$3.67 €3.20
$2.97 ฿99.3
23.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 €2.55
$0.69 ฿22.96
324.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.44
$0.39 ฿13.07
323.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.15 €7.10
$2.53 ฿84.7
222.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 €6.19
$3.75 ฿125
89.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.07
$2.15 ฿71.8
-43.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 €1.48
$1.82 ฿60.7
-6.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 €2.08
$2.18 ฿73.1
9.63%
Eggs
$5.11 €4.45
$2.25 ฿75.2
127.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.53 €13.54
$20.00 ฿669
-22.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.92 €14.75
$3.63 ฿121
366.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.75 €19.83
$13.56 ฿453
67.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.11 €2.71
$3.24 ฿109
-4.01%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 €1.96
$1.64 ฿54.7
37.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.11 €2.71
$2.33 ฿78.0
33.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.65 €4.05
$2.07 ฿69.3
124.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.49 €2.17
$1.55 ฿51.8
60.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.65 €2.31
$1.46 ฿48.67
81.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.82 €1.58
$0.98 ฿32.94
85.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 €0.57
$0.48 ฿16.13
37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.77 €12.00
$4.35 ฿146
216.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.12 €8.83
$18.57 ฿621
-45.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85 €2.48
$1.86 ฿62.1
53.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 €2.81
$2.65 ฿88.8
21.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.20
$1.42 ฿47.40
-2.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.76 €42.51
$11.57 ฿387
321.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.89 €5.13
$3.17 ฿106
85.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.79 €1.56
$1.03 ฿34.51
73.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.66 €38.06
$13.89 ฿465
214.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.78
$1.34 ฿44.96
52.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K €21.3K
$27.8K ฿929.6K
-11.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K €28.5K
$33.4K ฿1.1M
-2.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$230 €200
$123 ฿4,116
86.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.55 €21.40
$13.77 ฿461
78.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.03 €28.80
$18.33 ฿613
80.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.4 €53.5
$60.7 ฿2,030
1.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.12 €13.18
$17.16 ฿574
-11.89%
Cinema Ticket
$11.70 €10.20
$8.87 ฿297
31.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$953 €831
$688 ฿23.0K
38.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K €11.6K
$15.8K ฿527.8K
-15.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €93.8
$59.3 ฿1,984
81.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.34 €37.78
$34.69 ฿1,160
24.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.6 €86.0
$115 ฿3,853
-14.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 €126
$83.8 ฿2,802
73.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$834 €727
$621 ฿20.8K
34.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$858 €748
$446 ฿14.9K
92.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,866 €1,626
$2,034 ฿68.0K
-8.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,570 €1,368
$1,496 ฿50.0K
4.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.2K €8,914
$3,455 ฿115.6K
195.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,701 €6,714
$2,531 ฿84.7K
204.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Biarritz
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,315 €2,018
$494 ฿16.5K
368.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.25
5.33
-39.02%

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

Last update for Biarritz: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $834 in Biarritz and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Biarritz pays 369% 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: $64.0 in Biarritz vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $291 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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
Biarritz vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Biarritz and in Phuket?
Biarritz and Phuket differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($2,197 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Biarritz or Phuket?
Average pay runs 369% higher in Biarritz, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Biarritz and in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $834 in Biarritz versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Biarritz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $64.0 in Biarritz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,197 in Biarritz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Biarritz. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Biarritz and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Biarritz or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Biarritz 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.
Where should expats move: Biarritz or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Biarritz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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