🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $332 in Noakhali versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $552 in Noakhali versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $772 in Noakhali versus $3,279 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Noakhali costs roughly 73% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Noakhali75% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.39৳294
$4.63฿151
-48.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.57৳1,546
$46.84฿1,523
-73.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.94৳607
$8.84฿287
-44.12%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.13৳508
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.97৳612
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.22৳273
$3.00฿97.4
-26.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34৳42.20
$0.74฿24.11
-54.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20৳24.00
$0.37฿11.88
-45.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.44฿79.3
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.61฿117
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.72৳89.1
$2.26฿73.5
-68.14%
White Bread(500g)
$0.70৳86.3
$1.84฿59.8
-61.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.59৳72.5
$2.24฿73.0
-73.66%
Eggs
$1.24৳153
$2.32฿75.3
-46.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.77৳834
$19.67฿639
-65.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$1.42৳174
$3.65฿119
-61.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.70৳825
$13.10฿426
-48.85%
Apples(1kg)
$2.00৳247
$3.39฿110
-41.00%
Banana(1kg)
$0.86৳106
$1.64฿53.4
-47.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.52৳310
$2.41฿78.5
4.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.32৳39.06
$2.03฿66.0
-84.24%
Potato(1kg)
$0.36৳43.90
$1.56฿50.6
-76.92%
Onion(1kg)
$0.51৳63.1
$1.50฿48.66
-66.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.33৳40.58
$1.02฿33.30
-67.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24৳29.51
$0.49฿15.91
-51.02%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$8.74৳1,076
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.90৳480
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.11৳875
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.97৳365
$4.45฿145
-33.26%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$18.88฿614
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.78฿57.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.75฿89.5
-
🚌 Getting Around
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.22৳27.11
$1.40฿45.54
-84.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.41৳1,281
$11.48฿373
-9.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.20৳147
$3.12฿101
-61.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.40৳49.02
$1.00฿32.48
-60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.49৳307
$14.09฿458
-82.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.93৳114
$1.35฿43.93
-31.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K৳3.5M
$27.2K฿883.7K
5.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K৳3.4M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-15.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$16.25৳1,999
$125฿4,063
-87.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.99৳491
$13.57฿441
-70.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.24৳1,629
$18.52฿602
-28.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$13.50৳1,662
$61.5฿1,999
-78.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.66৳1,435
$16.84฿547
-30.76%
Cinema Ticket
$4.13৳509
$9.19฿299
-55.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$47.50৳5,844
$698฿22.7K
-93.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,999৳246.0K
$15.6K฿506.9K
-87.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.44৳2,269
$57.8฿1,878
-68.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.30৳2,990
$35.24฿1,146
-31.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$47.05৳5,788
$113฿3,677
-58.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.50৳4,490
$86.4฿2,808
-57.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$68.4৳8,411
$616฿20.0K
-88.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$41.65৳5,124
$446฿14.5K
-90.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$162৳20.0K
$2,048฿66.6K
-92.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$98.6৳12.1K
$1,492฿48.5K
-93.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$623৳76.6K
$3,779฿122.8K
-83.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$448৳55.2K
$2,649฿86.1K
-83.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Noakhali
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$402৳49.4K
$524฿17.0K
-23.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.52
5.33
97.37%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Noakhali: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $68.4 in Noakhali and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $13.00 in Noakhali vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $102 vs $292 per month, with Noakhali cheaper across the board.
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
Noakhali vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Noakhali or Phuket?
Noakhali wins on cost – living expenses run 271% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Noakhali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Noakhali or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Noakhali vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $68.4 in Noakhali versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Noakhali or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 186% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Noakhali vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Noakhali – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Noakhali or Phuket?
At $332 in Noakhali versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Noakhali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Noakhali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Noakhali or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Noakhali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $332 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Noakhali hard to pass up.
How safe is Noakhali compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Noakhali and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Noakhali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 271% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.