Cost of Living Comparison Between Bra and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Bra and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,732 in Bra versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,584 in Bra versus $2,089 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,436 in Bra versus $2,913 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Bra is roughly 37% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Bra is 26% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bra
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.66€20.40
$4.66฿154
407.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.87€35.23
$32.22฿1,065
26.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.42€9.84
$8.68฿287
31.57%
Cappuccino
$1.66€1.43
$2.90฿95.8
-42.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68€3.17
$0.84฿27.89
338.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02€1.75
$0.49฿16.16
312.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.71€4.92
$2.48฿82.0
130.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59€3.96
$3.73฿123
23.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bra
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.72€1.48
$1.89฿62.3
-8.99%
White Bread(500g)
$2.59€2.23
$1.41฿46.54
83.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.82€2.43
$1.62฿53.6
74.07%
Eggs
$3.40€2.93
$2.24฿74.1
51.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.34€11.50
$19.84฿656
-32.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.76€10.14
$3.48฿115
237.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.11€17.33
$11.37฿376
76.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.30€1.98
$2.90฿95.8
-20.69%
Banana(1kg)
$2.19€1.89
$1.72฿57.0
27.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.36€2.03
$2.27฿75.1
3.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.39€2.92
$2.13฿70.4
59.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.70€1.46
$1.47฿48.72
15.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.78€1.54
$1.42฿46.92
25.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15€0.99
$1.10฿36.25
4.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62€0.54
$0.60฿19.76
3.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.03€6.06
$4.31฿142
63.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.51€5.61
$18.60฿615
-65.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78€1.54
$1.80฿59.5
-1.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38€2.05
$2.97฿98.0
-19.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Bra
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.77€1.52
$2.25฿74.2
-21.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$47.45€40.90
$23.49฿776
102.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.97€6.87
$3.10฿102
157.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.48
$1.08฿35.56
58.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.71€10.09
$3.87฿128
202.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01€1.73
$1.43฿47.16
40.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K€23.8K
$27.8K฿918.0K
-0.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K€26.8K
$27.0K฿891.5K
15.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bra
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$117€101
$105฿3,462
11.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.65€9.18
$11.39฿376
-6.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.55€25.47
$17.54฿580
68.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bra
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.5€49.55
$54.3฿1,795
5.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.00€22.41
$11.44฿378
127.27%
Cinema Ticket
$9.18€7.91
$7.78฿257
17.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bra
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$117€101
$576฿19.0K
-79.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.8K€17.1K
$11.6K฿382.7K
71.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bra
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108€92.7
$63.6฿2,103
69.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.8€46.37
$29.10฿961
84.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$118€102
$96.2฿3,179
22.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137€118
$90.0฿2,974
52.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bra
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$686€591
$733฿24.2K
-6.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$595€513
$501฿16.5K
18.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,200€1,035
$2,126฿70.2K
-43.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$924€796
$1,252฿41.4K
-26.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,052€2,631
$3,534฿116.8K
-13.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,113€1,822
$2,622฿86.6K
-19.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bra
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.1
5.57
-44.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bra: September 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $686 in Bra and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $41.00 in Bra vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $275 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
Bra vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bra or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Bra. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bra and in Phuket?
You'd need roughly $2,597 in Bra and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bra compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $686 in Bra versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bra and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $117 in Bra versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Bra or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Bra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Bra or in Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,732 in Bra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bra. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bra or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Bra compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Bra 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Bra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.