Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bagamoyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bagamoyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $393 in Bagamoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $655 in Bagamoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $916 in Bagamoyo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 213% more expensive than in Bagamoyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Bagamoyo 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.87 TZS 4,920

135.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$11.11 TZS 29.2K

190.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.66 TZS 22.8K

3.12%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.89 TZS 4,967

53.44%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.33 TZS 867

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.18 TZS 462

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$0.94 TZS 2,461

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.84 TZS 4,839

102.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.79 TZS 2,087

136.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.58 TZS 1,517

153.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.40 TZS 1,046

287.50%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.93 TZS 5,067

8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.38 TZS 24.7K

108.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.82 TZS 12.7K

-29.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$3.99 TZS 10.5K

185.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.50 TZS 6,571

19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.96 TZS 2,526

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.00 TZS 2,635

121.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.59 TZS 1,555

266.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.29 TZS 758

424.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.29 TZS 755

362.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.89 TZS 2,343

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.36 TZS 940

52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.32 TZS 6,105

83.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.86 TZS 18.0K

178.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$0.83 TZS 2,176

114.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.53 TZS 4,016

81.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.63 TZS 4,279

85.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.49 TZS 3,908

-31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$13.44 TZS 35.3K

-71.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.36 TZS 3,586

9.56%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$16.9K TZS 44.3M

57.69%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$26.0K TZS 68.2M

4.16%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$57.7 TZS 151.8K

77.50%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$4.64 TZS 12.2K

144.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$22.61 TZS 59.4K

-23.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.97 TZS 13.1K

54.73%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$559 TZS 1.5M

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$13.5K TZS 35.6M

-14.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$14.03 TZS 36.9K

349.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$26.66 TZS 70.1K

10.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$43.94 TZS 115.5K

123.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$66.3 TZS 174.2K

33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

1213.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$229 TZS 603.3K

818.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$115 TZS 301.1K

970.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.25

-69.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bagamoyo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $56.2 in Bagamoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Bagamoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $143 per month, with Bagamoyo 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

Phuket vs Bagamoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bagamoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 213% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bagamoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $589 in Bagamoyo 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: $738 in Phuket versus $56.2 in Bagamoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $559 in Bagamoyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bagamoyo – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $393 in Bagamoyo versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bagamoyo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bagamoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bagamoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $393 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bagamoyo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bagamoyo 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 Bagamoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.