😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,666 in Bridgetown versus $1,223 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,915 in Bridgetown versus $2,237 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,163 in Bridgetown versus $3,251 in Phuket.
😐Living in Bridgetown is roughly 36% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Bridgetown is 25% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.68BBD 39.36
$4.51฿147
336.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.4BBD 185
$46.62฿1,515
98.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.05BBD 18.09
$8.49฿276
6.60%
Cappuccino
$5.01BBD 10.02
$3.08฿100
62.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51BBD 3.02
$0.68฿22.07
122.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22BBD 2.43
$0.36฿11.75
238.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51BBD 5.03
$2.43฿78.8
3.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.83BBD 11.67
$3.63฿118
60.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.99BBD 7.99
$2.19฿71.1
82.19%
White Bread(500g)
$2.75BBD 5.49
$1.81฿59.0
51.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.24BBD 6.48
$2.23฿72.5
45.29%
Eggs
$5.57BBD 11.13
$2.24฿72.7
148.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.70BBD 19.41
$19.60฿637
-50.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.21BBD 18.42
$3.72฿121
147.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.06BBD 20.11
$13.47฿438
-25.32%
Apples(1kg)
$3.91BBD 7.81
$3.36฿109
16.37%
Banana(1kg)
$2.67BBD 5.34
$1.62฿52.5
64.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.64BBD 9.28
$2.41฿78.3
92.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.14BBD 6.29
$1.99฿64.6
57.79%
Potato(1kg)
$2.89BBD 5.78
$1.53฿49.76
88.89%
Onion(1kg)
$2.36BBD 4.73
$1.45฿47.19
62.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.74BBD 5.48
$1.01฿32.96
171.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.08BBD 4.16
$0.48฿15.73
333.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.21BBD 16.43
$4.27฿139
92.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.49BBD 26.98
$19.12฿621
-29.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60BBD 3.19
$1.84฿59.7
-13.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98BBD 5.96
$2.74฿89.1
8.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.80BBD 3.60
$1.42฿46.06
26.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.52BBD 53.0
$11.72฿381
126.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$17.81BBD 35.61
$3.00฿97.6
493.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.98BBD 1.97
$1.05฿34.00
-6.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$39.67BBD 79.3
$13.90฿452
185.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03BBD 4.07
$1.29฿41.94
57.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4KBBD 70.9K
$28.0K฿911.1K
26.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1KBBD 74.2K
$33.5K฿1.1M
10.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$86.4BBD 173
$122฿3,964
-29.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9BBD 118
$13.93฿453
322.76%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.19BBD 96.4
$18.87฿613
155.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$70.4BBD 141
$61.3฿1,992
14.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿547
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.05BBD 20.09
$8.89฿289
13.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$245BBD 490
$691฿22.5K
-64.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,559BBD 13.1K
$16.2K฿525.2K
-59.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.9BBD 124
$57.8฿1,878
7.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.0BBD 126
$35.39฿1,150
78.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$181BBD 361
$113฿3,685
59.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127BBD 255
$83.0฿2,698
53.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$600BBD 1,199
$607฿19.7K
-1.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477BBD 954
$448฿14.6K
6.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,806BBD 3,612
$2,029฿66.0K
-11.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,330BBD 2,659
$1,493฿48.5K
-10.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,488BBD 6,976
$3,585฿116.5K
-2.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,486BBD 6,971
$2,585฿84.0K
34.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,565BBD 3,129
$505฿16.4K
210.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.85
5.33
9.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bridgetown: June 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $600 in Bridgetown and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bridgetown pays 210% 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: $92.0 in Bridgetown vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $292 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
Bridgetown vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bridgetown or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Bridgetown. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bridgetown or Phuket?
Bridgetown pays 210% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bridgetown vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $600 in Bridgetown versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bridgetown and Phuket?
Childcare runs $245 in Bridgetown versus $691 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Bridgetown or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bridgetown. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Bridgetown or Phuket?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,666 in Bridgetown, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bridgetown. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bridgetown or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Bridgetown compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Bridgetown 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 36% less than in Bridgetown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Bridgetown vs other spots: cost of living compared