Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baabda Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baabda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $898 in Baabda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,402 in Baabda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,906 in Baabda.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than Baabda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Baabda 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$10.67 LBP 954.8K

-55.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

-23.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.24 LBP 737.3K

2.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.36 LBP 300.6K

-12.80%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

-57.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.52 LBP 315.3K

-31.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.01 LBP 448.6K

-25.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

25.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.79 LBP 70.9K

131.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

17.93%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.09 LBP 276.6K

-28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.40 LBP 1.0M

73.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.36 LBP 837.4K

-61.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

16.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.75 LBP 156.3K

87.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.52 LBP 136.4K

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

109.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.04 LBP 93.3K

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

51.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.01 LBP 90.3K

46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

15.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.56 LBP 229.4K

72.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.08 LBP 902.6K

92.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.28 LBP 114.8K

39.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.16 LBP 193.1K

25.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$4.96 LBP 444.3K

-39.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

-22.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

-30.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

54.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-18.60%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

17.39%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$213 LBP 19.1M

-42.98%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$38.10 LBP 3.4M

-64.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$37.41 LBP 3.3M

-51.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$8.16 LBP 730.3K

6.50%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$300 LBP 26.9M

131.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,440 LBP 397.3M

253.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

-15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$45.06 LBP 4.0M

-22.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$122 LBP 10.9M

-6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$96.0 LBP 8.6M

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.16

-52.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Baabda: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Baabda. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $235, with Baabda cheaper for home cooking.

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 Baabda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Baabda differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $898 including rent). Baabda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,346 in Baabda to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $300 in Baabda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Baabda – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $898 in Baabda versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baabda but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Baabda 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Baabda are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baabda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.