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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $726 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,006 in Banepa.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$1.80 NPR 273

150.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$19.21 NPR 2,906

142.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.61 NPR 1,001

28.44%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.86 NPR 282

65.59%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.51 NPR 77.0

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.16 NPR 24.75

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.63 NPR 398

-7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.58 NPR 541

1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.81 NPR 123

170.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.59 NPR 88.9

206.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.96 NPR 145

132.29%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.86 NPR 282

20.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$9.19 NPR 1,391

113.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.20 NPR 484

16.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$6.14 NPR 929

119.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.27 NPR 344

48.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.09 NPR 164

48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.24 NPR 188

94.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.68 NPR 103

192.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.48 NPR 72.8

218.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.72 NPR 110

101.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.53 NPR 80.4

90.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.25 NPR 37.38

92.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.93 NPR 443

45.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$7.84 NPR 1,187

143.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.26 NPR 341

-18.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.23 NPR 489

-15.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.23 NPR 34.41

517.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$2.12 NPR 321

41.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.05 NPR 159

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$3.54 NPR 536

292.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.21 NPR 184

6.61%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$32.0K NPR 4.8M

-12.29%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$40.5K NPR 6.1M

-17.22%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$33.11 NPR 5,010

268.41%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.91 NPR 742

183.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$9.75 NPR 1,476

93.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$18.29 NPR 2,767

235.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$3.35 NPR 506

165.37%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$92.3 NPR 14.0K

649.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$3,703 NPR 560.3K

336.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$24.75 NPR 3,745

133.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$27.82 NPR 4,209

27.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$57.6 NPR 8,721

96.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$40.12 NPR 6,071

106.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$103 NPR 15.7K

486.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$62.8 NPR 9,504

613.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$205 NPR 31.0K

888.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$143 NPR 21.6K

944.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.08

-55.88%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Banepa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $103 in Banepa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $155 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 174% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $669 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $103 in Banepa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $446 in Banepa – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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