Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Banepa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Banepa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $328 in Banepa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $543 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $759 in Banepa.

Living in Phuket is roughly 284% more expensive than in Banepa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Banepa 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$1.98 NPR 302

123.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$20.22 NPR 3,096

73.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.62 NPR 1,014

35.35%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.33 NPR 204

125.56%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.61 NPR 92.7

26.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.13 NPR 19.98

261.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$2.63 NPR 402

-8.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$3.98 NPR 610

-5.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.44 NPR 67.2

313.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.60 NPR 91.3

136.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$0.30 NPR 46.32

416.67%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.42 NPR 218

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$2.86 NPR 438

590.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.17 NPR 485

9.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$1.67 NPR 256

564.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.00 NPR 306

45.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.12 NPR 171

48.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$0.38 NPR 57.8

497.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$0.31 NPR 48.15

577.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.25 NPR 38.26

488.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.32 NPR 48.44

340.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.47 NPR 71.7

131.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.24 NPR 36.91

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$1.93 NPR 296

132.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$7.78 NPR 1,190

140.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$0.97 NPR 148

89.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$1.45 NPR 222

103.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$29.60 NPR 4,531

-22.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.99 NPR 304

52.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.20 NPR 183

-9.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$3.21 NPR 491

19.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.31 NPR 201

13.74%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$29.2K NPR 4.5M

-6.02%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$36.9K NPR 5.7M

-25.51%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$31.43 NPR 4,810

223.93%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$3.62 NPR 554

211.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$7.83 NPR 1,198

126.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$2.95 NPR 452

166.10%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$65.9 NPR 10.1K

776.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$5,056 NPR 773.9K

130.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$26.64 NPR 4,078

145.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$28.56 NPR 4,371

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$66.6 NPR 10.2K

48.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$32.15 NPR 4,922

180.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.11

-44.91%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Banepa: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $96.0 per month, with Banepa 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 Banepa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banepa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 284% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $492 in Banepa 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 183% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banepa – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $328 in Banepa versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Banepa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Banepa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Banepa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Banepa 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 Banepa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 284% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.