Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bafoussam Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bafoussam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $71.6 in Bafoussam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $98.0 in Bafoussam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $125 in Bafoussam.

Living in Phuket is roughly 1621% more expensive than Bafoussam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bafoussam 95% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$106 FCFA 59.5K

480.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$71.7 FCFA 40.2K

522.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$266 FCFA 149.0K

670.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$122 FCFA 68.4K

1122.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bafoussam: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $106 in Bafoussam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Bafoussam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bafoussam wins on cost – living expenses run 1621% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bafoussam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $107 in Bafoussam 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $106 in Bafoussam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $71.6 in Bafoussam versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bafoussam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bafoussam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bafoussam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $71.6 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bafoussam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bafoussam 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 Bafoussam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1621% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.