Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baku Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baku

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,020 in Baku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,600 in Baku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,181 in Baku.

Living in Phuket is roughly 23% more expensive than in Baku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Baku 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$9.03 ₼15.35

-49.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$41.88 ₼71.2

-22.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.63 ₼12.97

16.64%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.50 ₼5.95

-20.00%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.09 ₼1.85

-19.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.60 ₼1.03

-18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.78 ₼3.03

34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.58 ₼4.39

43.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.58 ₼2.68

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.50 ₼0.84

188.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.63 ₼4.46

-39.92%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.01 ₼3.41

5.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$4.95 ₼8.41

302.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$5.10 ₼8.67

-32.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.90 ₼20.23

-4.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.40 ₼2.38

110.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.83 ₼3.12

-6.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.55 ₼2.63

49.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.74 ₼2.95

19.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.79 ₼1.34

86.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.62 ₼1.05

119.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.79 ₼1.34

39.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.79 ₼1.35

-27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.14 ₼5.34

35.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$8.92 ₼15.15

106.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.56 ₼2.65

19.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$2.96 ₼5.03

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.36 ₼0.62

516.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$20.95 ₼35.60

9.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.08 ₼3.54

45.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$0.57 ₼0.98

87.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$3.59 ₼6.10

9.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$0.65 ₼1.11

129.23%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$23.4K ₼39.7K

16.10%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$21.1K ₼35.8K

30.28%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$70.6 ₼120

45.63%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$11.15 ₼18.95

-1.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$15.12 ₼25.70

15.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$47.70 ₼81.1

12.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$16.83 ₼28.60

-33.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.97 ₼10.14

25.29%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$333 ₼566

67.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$6,682 ₼11.4K

77.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$69.3 ₼118

-7.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$55.6 ₼94.5

-47.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$131 ₼222

-26.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$116 ₼197

-22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$539 ₼916

35.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$325 ₼552

53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,046 ₼1,777

99.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$531 ₼903

127.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$2,256 ₼3,834

59.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,310 ₼2,227

91.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$541 ₼919

-6.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.08

-38.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Baku: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $539 in Baku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baku pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Baku. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $196, with Baku 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 Baku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Baku differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $1,020 including rent). Baku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Baku. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $539 in Baku. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $333 in Baku. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,020 in Baku versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baku but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Baku 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 Baku 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 Baku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.