😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,460 in Bridgetown versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,738 in Bridgetown versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,015 in Bridgetown versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Bridgetown is roughly 100% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Bridgetown is 80% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.10BBD 40.20
$4.41฿147
355.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.7BBD 189
$32.26฿1,077
193.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.41BBD 14.81
$8.93฿298
-17.02%
Cappuccino
$4.46BBD 8.91
$2.90฿96.6
53.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53BBD 3.05
$0.88฿29.38
73.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37BBD 2.74
$0.48฿16.06
185.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.45BBD 4.91
$2.35฿78.5
4.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.93BBD 11.86
$3.72฿124
59.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.98BBD 7.96
$1.87฿62.3
112.83%
White Bread(500g)
$3.93BBD 7.87
$1.47฿48.94
167.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.94BBD 5.87
$1.55฿51.8
89.68%
Eggs
$6.15BBD 12.30
$2.10฿70.1
192.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.13BBD 18.27
$19.59฿654
-53.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.47BBD 18.93
$3.42฿114
176.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.76BBD 15.52
$11.38฿380
-31.81%
Apples(1kg)
$5.61BBD 11.22
$2.98฿99.6
88.26%
Banana(1kg)
$3.11BBD 6.22
$1.68฿56.2
85.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.36BBD 10.72
$2.21฿73.7
142.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.98BBD 9.97
$2.16฿72.1
130.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.82BBD 3.65
$1.52฿50.9
19.74%
Onion(1kg)
$2.35BBD 4.70
$1.34฿44.67
75.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.81BBD 5.62
$1.13฿37.67
148.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.24BBD 6.48
$0.55฿18.24
489.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.13BBD 20.26
$4.26฿142
137.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.83BBD 27.67
$19.09฿637
-27.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79BBD 3.58
$1.78฿59.4
0.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85BBD 3.70
$2.78฿92.9
-33.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.74BBD 3.48
$2.23฿74.4
-21.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.52BBD 55.0
$22.74฿759
21.02%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.30BBD 14.60
$3.03฿101
140.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.02฿34.15
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.06BBD 80.1
$3.89฿130
929.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03BBD 4.07
$1.49฿49.77
36.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.6KBBD 75.2K
$26.6K฿887.3K
41.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9KBBD 69.7K
$27.0K฿902.2K
28.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$194BBD 388
$102฿3,420
89.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.2BBD 112
$11.33฿378
396.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.7BBD 159
$17.40฿581
357.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$91.8BBD 184
$52.1฿1,738
76.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿370
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.16BBD 30.32
$7.69฿257
97.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$561฿18.7K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,032BBD 6,064
$11.5K฿384.1K
-73.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8BBD 106
$63.0฿2,104
-16.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.15BBD 78.3
$29.52฿986
32.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.1BBD 198
$98.0฿3,272
1.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.5BBD 139
$88.5฿2,954
-21.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,196BBD 2,391
$738฿24.6K
61.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,138BBD 2,275
$482฿16.1K
135.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,110BBD 4,220
$2,107฿70.3K
0.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,016BBD 4,033
$1,226฿40.9K
64.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,524BBD 7,048
$3,617฿120.7K
-2.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,561BBD 7,121
$2,603฿86.9K
36.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bridgetown
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,787BBD 3,574
$494฿16.5K
262.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.85
5.57
22.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bridgetown: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,196 in Bridgetown and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bridgetown pays 262% 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: $95.0 in Bridgetown vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $274 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 100% 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 in Phuket?
Average pay runs 262% higher in Bridgetown, 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 compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,196 in Bridgetown versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Bridgetown or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Bridgetown. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Bridgetown compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,460 per month in Bridgetown versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Bridgetown or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,460 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 $1,232 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 100% 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