Cost of Living Comparison Between Bull Bay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bull Bay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Bull Bay vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,248 per month in Bull Bay vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,660 per month in Bull Bay vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Bull Bay is about 34% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bull Bay and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Bull Bay 38% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 JMD 1,151

$4.56 ฿149

60.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,705

$46.63 ฿1,519

32.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 JMD 987

$8.47 ฿276

-25.86%

Cappuccino

$1.54 JMD 242

$3.03 ฿98.6

-49.17%

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

$0.92 JMD 145

$0.69 ฿22.45

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 113

$0.37 ฿11.92

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 383

$2.49 ฿81.0

-2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 JMD 389

$3.66 ฿119

-32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.35 JMD 684

$2.18 ฿71.0

99.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 JMD 514

$1.90 ฿62.0

72.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 JMD 202

$2.20 ฿71.6

-41.82%

Eggs

$3.45 JMD 542

$2.22 ฿72.4

55.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.94 JMD 778

$19.99 ฿651

-75.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 JMD 981

$3.66 ฿119

70.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 JMD 597

$13.25 ฿432

-71.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 JMD 294

$3.23 ฿105

-42.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 290

$1.70 ฿55.3

8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 JMD 342

$2.39 ฿78.0

-9.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 JMD 142

$2.08 ฿67.7

-56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 JMD 155

$1.59 ฿51.8

-37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$1.48 ฿48.31

4.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 JMD 181

$1.03 ฿33.54

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 JMD 153

$0.52 ฿16.83

86.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.73 JMD 586

$4.25 ฿138

-12.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.83 JMD 602

$18.79 ฿612

-79.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 JMD 364

$1.76 ฿57.2

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 JMD 385

$2.76 ฿89.8

-11.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 JMD 154

$1.36 ฿44.32

-27.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 JMD 142

$3.14 ฿102

-71.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 487

$1.04 ฿33.74

198.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 JMD 1,001

$13.77 ฿448

-53.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 JMD 192

$1.34 ฿43.79

-8.96%

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

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

55.49%

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

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-0.02%

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

$111 JMD 17.5K

$124 ฿4,025

-9.94%

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

$22.31 JMD 3,509

$13.52 ฿440

65.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 JMD 2,988

$18.69 ฿609

1.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.08 JMD 4,887

$61.8 ฿2,013

-49.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$13.18 JMD 2,073

$9.14 ฿298

44.20%

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

$229 JMD 36.1K

$703 ฿22.9K

-67.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,494 JMD 392.3K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-84.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.86 JMD 4,067

$59.5 ฿1,937

-56.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.84 JMD 4,065

$35.07 ฿1,142

-26.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 JMD 11.1K

$115 ฿3,754

-38.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 JMD 12.1K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-8.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 JMD 34.5K

$619 ฿20.1K

-64.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 JMD 25.1K

$433 ฿14.1K

-63.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

5.33

71.67%

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

Last update for Bull Bay: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Bull Bay versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Bull Bay versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Bull Bay vs $293 in Phuket – so Bull Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bull Bay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $836 in Bull Bay, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 51% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,255 per month in Bull Bay and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bull Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $836 in Bull Bay and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Bull Bay and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bull Bay, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Bull Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $836 in Bull Bay to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bull Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.