Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bien Hoa and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Bien Hoa: $671 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Bien Hoa
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Bien Hoa Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Bien Hoa

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$671

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bien Hoa 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 Bien Hoa and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $671 in Bien Hoa versus $1,278 in Phuket.

Bien Hoa $671
Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $921 in Bien Hoa versus $2,216 in Phuket.

Bien Hoa $921
Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,172 in Bien Hoa versus $3,154 in Phuket.

Bien Hoa $1,172
Phuket $3,154

Living in Bien Hoa costs roughly 48% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ₫48.9K

$4.47 ฿151

-57.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.66 ₫300.9K

$32.41 ฿1,093

-64.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₫121.9K

$8.81 ฿297

-46.42%

Cappuccino

$1.17 ₫30.2K

$2.83 ฿95.4

-58.66%

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

$0.43 ₫11.0K

$0.87 ฿29.41

-50.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₫5,417

$0.49 ฿16.65

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.52 ₫13.3K

$2.56 ฿86.3

-79.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₫20.2K

$3.68 ฿124

-78.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₫31.8K

$1.66 ฿55.9

-25.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₫20.5K

$1.46 ฿49.31

-45.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.2K

$1.50 ฿50.5

-37.33%

Eggs

$1.44 ₫37.1K

$2.09 ฿70.5

-31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 ₫307.7K

$19.07 ฿643

-37.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.96 ₫50.5K

$3.30 ฿111

-40.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 ₫253.4K

$10.91 ฿368

-9.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 ₫53.2K

$2.93 ฿98.9

-29.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ₫32.1K

$1.69 ฿57.0

-26.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.3K

$2.25 ฿75.8

-47.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.2K

$2.08 ฿70.0

-54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.5K

$1.51 ฿51.0

-21.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.6K

$1.38 ฿46.52

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ₫10.5K

$1.07 ฿35.96

-61.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.7K

$0.52 ฿17.51

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ₫32.4K

$4.20 ฿142

-70.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 ₫197.0K

$18.79 ฿634

-59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₫10.2K

$1.82 ฿61.5

-78.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₫20.7K

$2.84 ฿95.8

-71.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₫8,119

$1.45 ฿48.98

-78.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.53 ₫168.4K

$56.7 ฿1,912

-88.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 ₫12.6K

$3.02 ฿102

-83.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₫14.4K

$1.02 ฿34.33

-45.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₫29.2K

$3.69 ฿125

-69.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₫22.1K

$1.47 ฿49.76

-41.50%

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

$31.0K ₫800.4M

$26.8K ฿903.4K

15.85%

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

$29.5K ₫761.4M

$26.7K ฿900.5K

10.55%

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

$50.9 ₫1.3M

$96.4 ฿3,251

-47.20%

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

$4.13 ₫106.6K

$11.26 ฿380

-63.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.59 ₫169.9K

$16.85 ฿568

-60.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.97 ₫283.0K

$67.2 ฿2,268

-83.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ₫202.8K

$10.73 ฿362

-26.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 ₫88.3K

$7.50 ฿253

-54.40%

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

$67.4 ₫1.7M

$476 ฿16.1K

-85.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ₫376.4M

$11.3K ฿380.0K

29.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.21 ₫392.4K

$62.4 ฿2,104

-75.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.57 ₫401.8K

$28.41 ฿958

-45.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ₫1.8M

$94.3 ฿3,181

-27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 ₫2.4M

$85.8 ฿2,895

10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 ₫10.5M

$716 ฿24.2K

-43.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ₫7.2M

$491 ฿16.6K

-43.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ₫10.9M

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-78.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₫7.9M

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-78.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 ₫57.9M

$4,175 ฿140.9K

-46.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ₫32.0M

$3,045 ฿102.7K

-59.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 ₫8.1M

$502 ฿16.9K

-37.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.8

5.57

40.04%

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

Last update for Bien Hoa: October 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bien Hoa

$279 41.6%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 76% $212

Groceries & Markets

Bien Hoa

$164 24.5%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 62.2% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Bien Hoa

$87 13%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 40% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bien Hoa

$62 9.2%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 102% $63

Eating Out

Bien Hoa

$50 7.5%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 143% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Bien Hoa

$18 2.7%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 362% $64

Getting Around

Bien Hoa

$11 1.7%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 538% $60

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Bien Hoa and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 59% 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: $12 in Bien Hoa vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $266 per month, with Bien Hoa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Bien Hoa

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

07:46 7:46 AM

Same time as Bien Hoa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,272,235

79,308

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 25,802 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,810 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bien Hoa Phuket 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bien Hoa
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

Bien Hoa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bien Hoa is about 48% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Bien Hoa. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $408 in Bien Hoa versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bien Hoa – a meal for two runs $12 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $671 in Bien Hoa versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bien Hoa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bien Hoa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Bien Hoa and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Bien Hoa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.