Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Banepa

For one person, living is cheaper in Banepa: $322 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Banepa
🇳🇵 Nepal
$322
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Banepa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Banepa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $322 in Banepa.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Banepa $322

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $525 in Banepa.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Banepa $525

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $729 in Banepa.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Banepa $729

Living in Phuket is roughly 275% more expensive than in Banepa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Banepa 76% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$1.92 NPR 292
138.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$19.86 NPR 3,018
63.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$6.41 NPR 974
33.39%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$1.33 NPR 202
104.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$0.49 NPR 75.2
91.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$0.14 NPR 21.23
250.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$2.74 NPR 417
-5.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$3.21 NPR 488
19.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$0.44 NPR 67.3
295.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$0.59 NPR 89.4
142.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$0.28 NPR 41.94
446.43%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$1.44 NPR 219
50.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$2.99 NPR 454
540.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$3.09 NPR 470
6.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$1.61 NPR 245
591.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$2.07 NPR 314
42.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$1.20 NPR 183
40.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$0.40 NPR 60.8
475.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$0.32 NPR 48.35
565.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$0.25 NPR 37.96
512.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$0.32 NPR 48.43
325.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$0.46 NPR 69.7
143.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.22 NPR 33.39
150.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$1.91 NPR 290
123.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$7.61 NPR 1,157
139.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$0.99 NPR 151
75.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$1.49 NPR 226
87.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$29.23 NPR 4,441
-24.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$1.81 NPR 275
60.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.18 NPR 180
-14.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$3.29 NPR 500
16.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.33 NPR 203
12.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$29.0K NPR 4.4M
-7.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$35.8K NPR 5.4M
-25.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$32.09 NPR 4,876
209.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$3.47 NPR 527
225.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$8.87 NPR 1,348
95.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$3.02 NPR 459
150.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$66.6 NPR 10.1K
738.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$5,464 NPR 830.2K
110.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$25.37 NPR 3,854
147.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$26.89 NPR 4,085
6.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$62.6 NPR 9,517
53.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$28.87 NPR 4,386
205.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Banepa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
9.72
-42.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Banepa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Banepa
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Banepa
$96 64% $171
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Banepa
$44 65.3% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Banepa
$65 47.9% $59
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Banepa
$73 39.6% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Banepa
$6 * 91% $61
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Banepa
$37 * 5% $1.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $96.0 per month, with Banepa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇳🇵 Banepa
🕒 Local time
00:49 12:49 AM
23:34 11:34 PM
1 h 15 min behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
67,629
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Nepalese Rupee NPR रु
Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 152 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD). 1 EUR = 171 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Banepa 2,580 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Banepa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Banepa cheaper than Phuket?
Banepa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 275% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,811 in Phuket and $482 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.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Banepa?
Supermarket bills run roughly 178% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Banepa?
Dining out is cheaper in Banepa – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Banepa?
At $322 in Banepa versus $1,207 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.
Is Phuket or Banepa more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Banepa?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Banepa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 275% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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