Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baniyas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baniyas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $385 in Baniyas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $673 in Baniyas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $961 in Baniyas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 229% more expensive than in Baniyas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Baniyas 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.95 SYP 236

138.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$44.46 SYP 5,403

-27.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.80 SYP 827

27.65%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$0.51 SYP 62.2

468.63%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.03 SYP 125

-18.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.31 SYP 37.70

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.48 SYP 180

67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.04 SYP 370

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.79 SYP 95.5

139.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.39 SYP 46.92

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.03 SYP 125

57.28%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.23 SYP 150

82.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$3.46 SYP 421

473.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.63 SYP 684

-38.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$13.66 SYP 1,660

-16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$0.48 SYP 58.4

504.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.98 SYP 119

75.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.29 SYP 34.92

682.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.52 SYP 63.0

309.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.29 SYP 34.76

406.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.42 SYP 50.8

238.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.40 SYP 48.64

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.61 SYP 74.2

-1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.78 SYP 338

55.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$5.08 SYP 618

266.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.10 SYP 133

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.97 SYP 360

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.17 SYP 20.96

1223.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$8.09 SYP 983

190.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.03 SYP 125

200.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.53 SYP 186

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$7.71 SYP 937

-49.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.52 SYP 184

-5.92%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

88.22%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$19.2K SYP 2.3M

40.35%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$19.85 SYP 2,413

427.96%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$4.01 SYP 488

184.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$47.03 SYP 5,716

-62.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.40 SYP 656

44.07%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$67.3 SYP 8,180

756.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,777 SYP 216.0K

551.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$7.82 SYP 951

713.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$39.29 SYP 4,775

-25.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$60.7 SYP 7,378

58.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$59.3 SYP 7,201

51.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Baniyas: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Baniyas. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $145, with Baniyas 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 Baniyas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baniyas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 229% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $577 in Baniyas 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Baniyas – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $385 in Baniyas – a 229% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $385 in Baniyas versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baniyas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Baniyas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baniyas 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 Baniyas 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 Baniyas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 229% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.