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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $446 in Bagamoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $708 in Bagamoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $970 in Bagamoyo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 174% more expensive than in Bagamoyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bagamoyo 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$1.98 TZS 5,158

127.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$11.49 TZS 29.9K

305.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$7.87 TZS 20.5K

7.88%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.94 TZS 5,044

58.76%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.33 TZS 864

106.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.18 TZS 473

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$1.04 TZS 2,703

133.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.96 TZS 5,105

85.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$0.76 TZS 1,968

188.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$0.78 TZS 2,035

132.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$0.37 TZS 963

502.70%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.05 TZS 5,326

9.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$9.60 TZS 24.9K

104.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.82 TZS 15.1K

-36.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$4.13 TZS 10.7K

226.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.52 TZS 6,560

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.95 TZS 2,465

70.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.01 TZS 2,626

138.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$0.60 TZS 1,553

231.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.30 TZS 780

410.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$0.30 TZS 768

383.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$0.84 TZS 2,191

20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.40 TZS 1,043

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.07 TZS 5,383

106.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$6.94 TZS 18.0K

175.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$0.89 TZS 2,301

106.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$1.69 TZS 4,379

62.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.41 TZS 3,668

112.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.12 TZS 2,912

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$13.41 TZS 34.9K

3.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.20 TZS 3,123

7.50%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$17.1K TZS 44.4M

64.00%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$17.0K TZS 44.1M

97.63%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$95.3 TZS 247.6K

28.06%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$4.93 TZS 12.8K

182.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$23.08 TZS 60.0K

-18.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$4.91 TZS 12.8K

81.06%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$250 TZS 650.0K

176.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$19.0K TZS 49.5M

-15.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$25.68 TZS 66.7K

125.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$42.43 TZS 110.3K

-16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$45.74 TZS 118.9K

147.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$42.89 TZS 111.5K

93.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$58.8 TZS 152.9K

930.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$234 TZS 609.1K

765.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$117 TZS 303.5K

1178.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

19.67

-72.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bagamoyo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $58.8 in Bagamoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Bagamoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $152 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 174% 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 $1,835 in Phuket and $670 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: $607 in Phuket versus $58.8 in Bagamoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $250 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $446 in Bagamoyo versus $1,223 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 $446 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 174% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.