Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,878 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,698 per month in Caye Caulker vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,518 per month in Caye Caulker vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Caye Caulker costs about 50% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caye Caulker sits 41% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 BZD 17.33

$4.55 ฿153

90.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 BZD 65.7

$46.18 ฿1,554

-28.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BZD 15.11

$8.84 ฿298

-14.48%

Cappuccino

$3.94 BZD 7.89

$3.06 ฿103

28.76%

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

$1.53 BZD 3.07

$0.73 ฿24.42

109.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 BZD 3.54

$0.40 ฿13.40

342.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BZD 6.02

$2.43 ฿81.8

23.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 BZD 8.86

$3.78 ฿127

17.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.97 BZD 5.94

$2.26 ฿76.0

31.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 BZD 3.70

$1.81 ฿60.9

2.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 BZD 8.89

$2.25 ฿75.8

97.78%

Eggs

$4.19 BZD 8.38

$2.25 ฿75.6

86.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 BZD 22.30

$19.51 ฿656

-42.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 BZD 15.63

$3.65 ฿123

114.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 BZD 26.36

$13.05 ฿439

1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$8.09 BZD 16.19

$3.23 ฿109

150.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 BZD 2.26

$1.62 ฿54.4

-30.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 BZD 2.68

$2.38 ฿80.2

-43.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 BZD 5.75

$2.03 ฿68.2

41.38%

Potato (1kg)

$5.45 BZD 10.90

$1.53 ฿51.6

256.21%

Onion (1kg)

$4.54 BZD 9.08

$1.50 ฿50.5

202.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BZD 6.42

$0.98 ฿32.93

227.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 BZD 3.42

$0.52 ฿17.40

228.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 BZD 8.92

$4.44 ฿149

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.62 BZD 45.25

$18.32 ฿616

23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 BZD 4.56

$1.86 ฿62.7

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 BZD 4.89

$2.68 ฿90.2

-8.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.95 BZD 9.91

$1.41 ฿47.49

251.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.86 BZD 45.72

$11.70 ฿394

95.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 BZD 7.07

$3.11 ฿105

13.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 BZD 6.09

$1.04 ฿35.08

193.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 BZD 9.76

$14.11 ฿475

-65.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.05 BZD 6.11

$1.31 ฿44.13

132.82%

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

$10.7K BZD 21.4K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-61.48%

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

$21.4K BZD 42.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-35.45%

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

$197 BZD 394

$122 ฿4,120

60.85%

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

$35.15 BZD 70.3

$13.59 ฿457

158.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 BZD 150

$18.70 ฿629

300.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.59 BZD 71.2

$60.5 ฿2,035

-41.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.13 BZD 28.27

$16.98 ฿572

-16.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 BZD 23.83

$9.07 ฿305

31.31%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 BZD 150

$58.6 ฿1,970

27.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 BZD 119

$35.36 ฿1,190

68.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 BZD 299

$115 ฿3,885

29.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.51 BZD 99.0

$83.7 ฿2,818

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 BZD 1,973

$626 ฿21.1K

57.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 BZD 1,502

$445 ฿15.0K

68.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 BZD 1,517

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-62.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 BZD 2,500

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-16.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,026 BZD 4,052

$500 ฿16.8K

305.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Caye Caulker: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Caye Caulker versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 305% higher in Caye Caulker, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Caye Caulker versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $382 in Caye Caulker vs $289 in Phuket – so Phuket 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

Caye Caulker vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caye Caulker costs about 50% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,817 per month in Caye Caulker and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $1,878 in Caye Caulker and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Caye Caulker and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Caye Caulker at $1,878. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caye Caulker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,878 in Caye Caulker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caye Caulker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.