Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buon Ma Thuot and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Buon Ma Thuot: $792 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Buon Ma Thuot
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Buon Ma Thuot Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Buon Ma Thuot

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$792

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buon Ma Thuot and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Buon Ma Thuot and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $792 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

Buon Ma Thuot $792
Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $1,182 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

Buon Ma Thuot $1,182
Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $1,572 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

Buon Ma Thuot $1,572
Phuket $3,115

Buon Ma Thuot is about 39% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Buon Ma Thuot and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Buon Ma Thuot 41% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ₫53.6K

$4.39 ฿148

-52.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.47 ₫295.4K

$32.31 ฿1,090

-64.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 ₫107.1K

$8.70 ฿294

-52.18%

Cappuccino

$1.01 ₫26.1K

$2.72 ฿91.9

-62.87%

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

$0.34 ₫8,697

$0.93 ฿31.38

-63.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₫9,775

$0.50 ฿16.85

-24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₫31.6K

$2.53 ฿85.4

-51.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₫33.3K

$3.63 ฿122

-64.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₫43.2K

$1.74 ฿58.7

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.5K

$1.45 ฿48.93

-31.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 ₫19.4K

$1.50 ฿50.7

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.47 ₫37.9K

$2.17 ฿73.3

-32.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₫344.7K

$19.09 ฿644

-29.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ₫88.8K

$3.40 ฿115

1.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 ₫268.2K

$10.90 ฿368

-4.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ₫84.0K

$2.94 ฿99.2

10.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.5K

$1.69 ฿57.1

-34.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₫33.5K

$2.19 ฿74.0

-40.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.0K

$2.12 ฿71.6

-46.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ₫25.9K

$1.46 ฿49.19

-30.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.0K

$1.37 ฿46.14

-23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.0K

$1.08 ฿36.29

-49.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.5K

$0.55 ฿18.40

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.60 ₫41.2K

$4.43 ฿149

-63.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ₫219.0K

$18.25 ฿616

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₫19.7K

$1.77 ฿59.8

-56.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.4K

$2.88 ฿97.2

-44.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,288

$1.45 ฿48.82

-77.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.08 ₫156.6K

$54.9 ฿1,851

-88.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₫19.5K

$1.51 ฿51.0

-49.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 ₫13.2K

$0.78 ฿26.17

-34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₫65.3K

$3.84 ฿129

-33.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 ₫25.5K

$1.49 ฿50.2

-33.56%

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

$33.3K ₫857.2M

$26.9K ฿906.7K

23.79%

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

$28.7K ₫738.1M

$26.3K ฿888.6K

8.75%

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

$77.0 ₫2.0M

$97.8 ฿3,299

-21.30%

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

$5.60 ₫144.3K

$11.29 ฿381

-50.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.78 ₫251.9K

$17.19 ฿580

-43.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.61 ₫582.5K

$68.3 ฿2,305

-66.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 ₫219.6K

$10.92 ฿368

-21.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 ₫80.3K

$7.43 ฿251

-58.01%

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

$351 ₫9.1M

$530 ฿17.9K

-33.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ₫403.1M

$18.8K ฿633.5K

-16.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.54 ₫1.3M

$61.7 ฿2,080

-21.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ₫760.4K

$28.25 ฿953

4.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ₫2.2M

$96.0 ฿3,238

-11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 ₫1.8M

$86.8 ฿2,928

-19.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₫11.3M

$721 ฿24.3K

-39.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₫7.9M

$509 ฿17.2K

-39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 ₫16.7M

$1,950 ฿65.8K

-66.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₫13.8M

$1,397 ฿47.1K

-61.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,137 ₫55.1M

$4,192 ฿141.4K

-49.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,304 ₫33.6M

$3,298 ฿111.3K

-60.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

5.57

46.68%

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

Last update for Buon Ma Thuot: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Buon Ma Thuot

$307 38.7%

Phuket

$509 39.3% 65.9% $202

Groceries & Markets

Buon Ma Thuot

$196 24.7%

Phuket

$267 20.6% 36.1% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Buon Ma Thuot

$105 13.2%

Phuket

$123 9.5% 17.2% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buon Ma Thuot

$92 11.7%

Phuket

$126 9.8% 36.7% $34

Eating Out

Buon Ma Thuot

$53 6.7%

Phuket

$120 9.2% 126% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Buon Ma Thuot

$29 3.6%

Phuket

$83 6.4% 188% $54

Getting Around

Buon Ma Thuot

$11 1.4%

Phuket

$66 5.1% 519% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Buon Ma Thuot versus $721 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 $11 in Buon Ma Thuot versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $267 – making Buon Ma Thuot the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Buon Ma Thuot

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

20:49 8:49 PM

Same time as Buon Ma Thuot

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

245,951

79,308

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,880 VND (100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Buon Ma Thuot Phuket 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Buon Ma Thuot
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Buon Ma Thuot vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $792 in Buon Ma Thuot, $1,294 in Phuket – Buon Ma Thuot comes out roughly 39% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,188 per month in Buon Ma Thuot and $1,940 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buon Ma Thuot, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $439 there versus $721 in Phuket.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Buon Ma Thuot and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $792 in Buon Ma Thuot and $1,294 in Phuket. That makes Buon Ma Thuot about 39% cheaper.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Buon Ma Thuot, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Buon Ma Thuot it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buon Ma Thuot – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Buon Ma Thuot is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 39% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.