Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,235 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,892 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,549 in Ballsh, rent included.

Phuket costs about 2% more than Ballsh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.13 ALL 800

-54.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$53.3 ALL 4,212

-39.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.19 ALL 568

20.72%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.32 ALL 183

25.00%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$1.42 ALL 112

-40.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$0.86 ALL 67.5

-43.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$3.70 ALL 292

-32.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.18 ALL 330

-10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.31 ALL 182

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$1.24 ALL 97.8

13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.39 ALL 189

-32.22%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.86 ALL 305

-41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.60 ALL 1,074

45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$9.14 ALL 722

-61.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$17.57 ALL 1,388

-35.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.02 ALL 160

43.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.53 ALL 200

-32.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$2.27 ALL 180

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$1.86 ALL 147

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$1.04 ALL 82.4

41.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$1.30 ALL 103

9.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$1.50 ALL 118

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$0.82 ALL 64.7

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.04 ALL 398

-14.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.50 ALL 908

61.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$1.76 ALL 139

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$2.04 ALL 161

45.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.49 ALL 38.52

359.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

$20.29 ALL 1,603

15.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$3.72 ALL 294

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$3.75 ALL 296

-71.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$18.96 ALL 1,498

-79.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$2.39 ALL 189

-40.17%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

-19.55%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$37.4K ALL 3.0M

-27.77%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$102 ALL 8,060

2.69%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$18.98 ALL 1,499

-39.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$20.84 ALL 1,646

-15.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$58.8 ALL 4,640

-7.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$10.04 ALL 793

-22.51%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$346 ALL 27.3K

66.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$8,431 ALL 665.9K

37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$51.3 ALL 4,050

24.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$48.84 ALL 3,857

-40.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$122 ALL 9,673

-21.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$114 ALL 9,016

-21.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$485 ALL 38.3K

51.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$337 ALL 26.6K

48.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$717 ALL 56.6K

196.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$476 ALL 37.6K

163.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

$1,886 ALL 149.0K

87.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

$1,282 ALL 101.2K

104.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.64

-1.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $485 in Ballsh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $53.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $301 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 2% more than Ballsh, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,852 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ballsh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $53.0 in Ballsh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ballsh, where all-in costs run around $1,235, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Ballsh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ballsh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ballsh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.