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 $833 per month in Bull Bay vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Bull Bay vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,616 per month in Bull Bay vs $3,248 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 37% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,187

$4.48 ฿150

68.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 JMD 9,997

$45.59 ฿1,525

39.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 JMD 1,013

$8.76 ฿293

-26.48%

Cappuccino

$1.60 JMD 252

$2.97 ฿99.3

-46.13%

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

$0.95 JMD 149

$0.69 ฿22.96

37.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.39 ฿13.07

82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 403

$2.53 ฿84.7

1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 JMD 382

$3.75 ฿125

-35.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.35 JMD 684

$2.15 ฿71.8

102.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 JMD 520

$1.82 ฿60.7

81.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 JMD 193

$2.18 ฿73.1

-43.58%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 558

$2.25 ฿75.2

57.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.98 JMD 784

$20.00 ฿669

-75.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 JMD 1,020

$3.63 ฿121

78.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.75 JMD 590

$13.56 ฿453

-72.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 300

$3.24 ฿109

-41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 300

$1.64 ฿54.7

16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 JMD 338

$2.33 ฿78.0

-7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 JMD 150

$2.07 ฿69.3

-53.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 JMD 143

$1.55 ฿51.8

-41.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 JMD 240

$1.46 ฿48.67

4.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 JMD 173

$0.98 ฿32.94

12.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 JMD 160

$0.48 ฿16.13

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 JMD 601

$4.35 ฿146

-12.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.87 JMD 609

$18.57 ฿621

-79.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 JMD 383

$1.86 ฿62.1

30.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 JMD 383

$2.65 ฿88.8

-7.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 JMD 146

$1.42 ฿47.40

-34.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 JMD 150

$3.17 ฿106

-69.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 495

$1.03 ฿34.51

205.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 JMD 959

$13.89 ฿465

-56.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 JMD 196

$1.34 ฿44.96

-6.72%

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$27.8K ฿929.6K

55.46%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

1.88%

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

$115 JMD 18.1K

$123 ฿4,116

-6.63%

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

$22.12 JMD 3,479

$13.77 ฿461

60.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.50 JMD 2,910

$18.33 ฿613

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.73 JMD 4,833

$60.7 ฿2,030

-49.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,049

$8.87 ฿297

46.90%

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

$228 JMD 35.9K

$688 ฿23.0K

-66.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 JMD 384.0K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-84.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.23 JMD 4,126

$59.3 ฿1,984

-55.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 JMD 4,030

$34.69 ฿1,160

-26.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 JMD 11.2K

$115 ฿3,853

-38.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

$83.8 ฿2,802

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 JMD 34.0K

$621 ฿20.8K

-65.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 JMD 24.3K

$446 ฿14.9K

-65.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $216 in Bull Bay versus $621 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 $64.0 in Bull Bay versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Bull Bay vs $291 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: $833 in Bull Bay, $1,264 in Phuket – roughly 52% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,250 per month in Bull Bay and $1,896 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 $833 in Bull Bay and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $228 per month in Bull Bay and $688 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 $833, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $833 in Bull Bay to $1,264 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.