Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ba

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $93.6 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

🇫🇯 Fiji

$93.6

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ba

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $94 in Ba.

Phuket $1,278
Ba $94

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $209 in Ba.

Phuket $2,216
Ba $209

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $325 in Ba.

Phuket $3,154
Ba $325

Living in Phuket is roughly 1266% more expensive than in Ba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ba 93% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$2.04 FJD 4.56

119.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$30.40 FJD 67.8

6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$6.01 FJD 13.41

46.59%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$1.99 FJD 4.43

42.21%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$0.98 FJD 2.18

-11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$0.99 FJD 2.20

-50.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$4.12 FJD 9.18

-37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$3.47 FJD 7.74

6.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$399 FJD 890

25.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ba: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

–

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 26% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $32 in Phuket vs $30 in Ba for two.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇫🇯 Ba

🕒 Local time

20:00 8:00 PM

01:00 1:00 AM

5 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

15,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.403 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.48 FJD (1 FJD = 0.403 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Ba 9,150 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ba

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

Phuket vs Ba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $94 in Ba – a 1266% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $94 in Ba versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Ba wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.