Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barbados Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barbados

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,954 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $3,210 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $4,465 in Barbados.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 37% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Barbados is 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$20.32 BBD 40.64

-77.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$114 BBD 228

-59.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$10.18 BBD 20.35

-16.60%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$4.39 BBD 8.78

-29.84%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.07 BBD 4.13

-67.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.47 BBD 2.93

-75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$3.03 BBD 6.07

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$4.01 BBD 8.02

-9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$3.49 BBD 6.99

-37.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.59 BBD 5.19

-30.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$4.55 BBD 9.10

-50.99%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$5.80 BBD 11.59

-61.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$6.49 BBD 12.97

202.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$13.17 BBD 26.33

-71.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$10.48 BBD 20.96

28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$4.70 BBD 9.40

-28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$3.21 BBD 6.41

-49.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$5.43 BBD 10.86

-55.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$5.46 BBD 10.92

-63.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$5.57 BBD 11.14

-72.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$4.92 BBD 9.83

-70.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$2.79 BBD 5.58

-63.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$2.91 BBD 5.82

-83.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$7.68 BBD 15.37

-44.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$16.24 BBD 32.49

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.69 BBD 3.38

8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.75 BBD 5.50

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$1.70 BBD 3.41

-16.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$6.21 BBD 12.42

-51.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$3.44 BBD 6.89

-69.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$22.24 BBD 44.47

-37.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$2.02 BBD 4.04

-36.14%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$49.3K BBD 98.5K

-43.09%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$40.4K BBD 80.8K

-17.06%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$192 BBD 384

-36.43%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$48.89 BBD 97.8

-71.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$85.7 BBD 171

-77.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$72.1 BBD 144

-15.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$9.90 BBD 19.79

-10.20%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$266 BBD 531

160.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$54.4 BBD 109

6.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$28.10 BBD 56.2

25.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$88.8 BBD 178

27.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$55.0 BBD 110

51.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$661 BBD 1,321

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$657 BBD 1,315

-31.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$2,129 BBD 4,258

-4.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,406 BBD 2,812

6.22%

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

$1,309 BBD 2,618

-61.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.4

-27.97%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Barbados: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $661 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 159% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $114 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $430 per month, with Phuket 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 Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Barbados differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $1,954 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barbados earns 159% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $661 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Barbados. 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 $1,954 in Barbados – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,954 in Barbados, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Barbados 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.