Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Providence and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,159 in New Providence, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

New Providence
🇧🇸 Bahamas
$2,159
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New Providence 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 New Providence and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,159 per month in New Providence vs $1,208 in Phuket, rent included.

  • New Providence $2,159
  • Phuket $1,208

A couple spends around $5,308 per month in New Providence vs $2,027 in Phuket, rent included.

  • New Providence $5,308
  • Phuket $2,027

A family of three spends $8,458 per month in New Providence vs $2,845 in Phuket, rent included.

  • New Providence $8,458
  • Phuket $2,845

New Providence costs about 79% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

New Providence sits 59% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$75.7 BSD 75.7
$4.40 ฿147
1619.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$149 BSD 149
$32.26 ฿1,078
361.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$8.76 ฿293
-
Cappuccino
$5.51 BSD 5.51
$2.83 ฿94.5
94.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.90 ฿30.14
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.47 ฿15.56
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.55 ฿85.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.83 ฿128
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 BSD 2.05
$1.73 ฿57.7
18.50%
White Bread (500g)
$5.00 BSD 5.00
$1.47 ฿49.11
240.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.06 BSD 5.06
$1.51 ฿50.6
235.10%
Eggs
$9.88 BSD 9.88
$2.17 ฿72.7
355.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.39 BSD 20.39
$19.70 ฿658
3.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.16 BSD 10.16
$3.34 ฿112
204.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.79 BSD 19.79
$11.16 ฿373
77.33%
Apples (1kg)
$4.35 BSD 4.35
$2.85 ฿95.1
52.63%
Banana (1kg)
$5.88 BSD 5.88
$1.70 ฿56.9
245.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.97 BSD 6.97
$2.19 ฿73.3
218.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.93 BSD 3.93
$2.05 ฿68.4
91.71%
Potato (1kg)
$3.96 BSD 3.96
$1.45 ฿48.57
173.10%
Onion (1kg)
$3.04 BSD 3.04
$1.38 ฿46.16
120.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.96 BSD 2.96
$1.07 ฿35.69
176.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 BSD 2.98
$0.51 ฿16.91
484.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.01 BSD 15.01
$4.26 ฿142
252.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.59 BSD 24.59
$18.58 ฿621
32.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.72 BSD 3.72
$1.78 ฿59.7
108.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 BSD 3.98
$2.85 ฿95.2
39.65%
🚌 Getting Around
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.26 ฿75.6
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.10 ฿738
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.01 ฿101
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.06 ฿35.34
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.86 ฿129
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 BSD 1.83
$1.45 ฿48.45
26.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$26.3K ฿879.9K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.9K ฿900.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$96.4 ฿3,221
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.77 BSD 39.77
$11.04 ฿369
260.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$100 BSD 100
$17.14 ฿573
483.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.1 BSD 76.1
$52.2 ฿1,744
45.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.16 ฿373
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.20 BSD 15.20
$7.81 ฿261
94.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,508 BSD 1,508
$556 ฿18.6K
171.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K BSD 15.1K
$11.6K ฿387.0K
30.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$64.2 ฿2,146
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$28.69 ฿959
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$95.4 ฿3,187
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$88.0 ฿2,940
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,517 BSD 1,517
$737 ฿24.6K
105.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$694 BSD 694
$462 ฿15.5K
50.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,574 BSD 4,574
$1,201 ฿40.1K
280.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
New Providence
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for New Providence: October 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New Providence
–
Phuket
$462
Groceries & Markets
New Providence
–
Phuket
$269
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Providence
–
Phuket
$125
Clothing & Footwear
New Providence
–
Phuket
$124
Eating Out
New Providence
–
Phuket
$121
Sport & Entertainment
New Providence
–
Phuket
$68
Getting Around
New Providence
–
Phuket
$39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,517 in New Providence versus $737 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 $149 in New Providence versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $269 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇸 New Providence
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
06:49 6:49 AM
17:49 5:49 PM
11 h ahead of New Providence
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
296,522
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BSD – Bahamian Dollar Converter

Bahamian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BSD (1 BSD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BSD (1 BSD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New Providence Phuket 16,310 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • New Providence
  • 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
New Providence vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, New Providence or Phuket?
New Providence costs about 79% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in New Providence and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,238 per month in New Providence and $1,813 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, New Providence or Phuket?
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.
How much does it cost to live in New Providence compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,159 in New Providence and $1,208 in Phuket. That's a gap of about 79%.
How do childcare costs compare in New Providence and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $1,508 per month in New Providence and $556 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in New Providence or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in New Providence at $2,159. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Providence it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, New Providence or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,208 versus $2,159 in New Providence. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is New Providence compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to New Providence or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Providence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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