Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,933 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,865 per month in Kuala Belait vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,797 per month in Kuala Belait vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Kuala Belait costs about 54% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Kuala Belait sits 41% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 BND 9.72

$4.56 ฿151

67.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.28 BND 60.1

$32.62 ฿1,082

44.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 BND 10.05

$8.90 ฿295

-11.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BND 3.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$4.64 BND 5.90

$2.80 ฿93.0

65.71%

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

$1.28 BND 1.63

$0.88 ฿29.19

45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 BND 1.17

$0.49 ฿16.23

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 BND 3.22

$1.79 ฿59.3

41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 BND 3.11

$1.44 ฿47.81

69.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.84

$1.58 ฿52.6

41.14%

Eggs

$2.71 BND 3.44

$2.13 ฿70.5

27.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.98 BND 24.13

$19.92 ฿661

-4.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 BND 12.20

$3.43 ฿114

179.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.17 BND 31.99

$11.33 ฿376

122.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 BND 5.91

$2.95 ฿97.8

57.63%

Banana (1kg)

$6.53 BND 8.29

$1.72 ฿57.1

279.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 BND 6.44

$2.32 ฿77.1

118.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.04 BND 8.94

$2.08 ฿69.0

238.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 BND 4.18

$1.47 ฿48.77

123.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 BND 3.70

$1.36 ฿45.05

113.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.47 BND 6.96

$1.10 ฿36.45

397.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 BND 1.61

$0.57 ฿19.06

122.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.57 BND 14.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.94 BND 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 BND 9.89

$4.27 ฿142

82.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BND 0.45

$1.49 ฿49.49

-75.84%

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

$31.3K BND 39.7K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

15.20%

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

$27.0K BND 34.3K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-1.66%

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

$39.36 BND 50.0

$103 ฿3,410

-61.71%

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

$21.33 BND 27.11

$10.99 ฿365

94.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$176 BND 223

$17.51 ฿581

904.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$100 BND 127

$53.5 ฿1,776

87.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BND 35.49

$11.20 ฿371

149.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 BND 6.86

$7.48 ฿248

-27.94%

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

$557 ฿18.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,270 BND 11.8K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-21.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 BND 126

$64.1 ฿2,125

54.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 BND 129

$29.07 ฿964

249.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 BND 199

$96.0 ฿3,183

62.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 BND 224

$90.3 ฿2,997

95.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 BND 959

$730 ฿24.2K

3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 BND 986

$500 ฿16.6K

55.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 BND 1,519

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 BND 1,477

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-3.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 BND 4,350

$503 ฿16.7K

579.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Kuala Belait: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Kuala Belait versus $730 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 580% higher in Kuala Belait, 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 $47.00 in Kuala Belait versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $273 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kuala Belait vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,933 in Kuala Belait, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 54% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,900 per month in Kuala Belait and $1,880 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Kuala Belait and $33.00 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 $1,933 in Kuala Belait and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Kuala Belait at $1,933. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Belait 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 $1,253 in Phuket to $1,933 in Kuala Belait. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Belait makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.