Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barisal Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barisal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $325 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $495 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $666 in Barisal, rent included.

Phuket costs about 284% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Barisal 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.14 ৳141

299.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$5.62 ৳693

721.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.23 ৳645

69.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ৳490

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ৳577

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$0.63 ৳77.8

385.71%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.18 ৳21.66

305.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.12 ৳14.90

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.68 ৳83.4

232.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.60 ৳73.4

201.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.55 ৳68.4

309.09%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.21 ৳149

85.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.85 ৳721

233.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.61 ৳322

39.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.53 ৳805

99.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.98 ৳245

63.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.93 ৳115

74.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.74 ৳215

36.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.56 ৳69.4

262.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.30 ৳36.67

410.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.43 ৳53.2

248.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.33 ৳40.44

196.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.29 ৳35.20

79.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.69 ৳825

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 ৳453

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ৳590

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.30 ৳407

34.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.30 ৳37.51

370.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$10.45 ৳1,288

11.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.64 ৳78.5

385.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.20 ৳24.59

420.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$2.01 ৳247

601.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.92 ৳113

42.39%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-2.20%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.2K ৳3.4M

22.11%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$30.50 ৳3,759

301.44%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$5.44 ৳671

149.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.31 ৳2,750

-16.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$9.68 ৳1,193

524.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$8.06 ৳993

110.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.35 ৳413

170.75%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$17.19 ৳2,118

4009.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$1,291 ৳159.1K

1124.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$16.04 ৳1,977

265.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$16.08 ৳1,982

119.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$28.92 ৳3,564

299.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$28.34 ৳3,493

195.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$80.8 ৳9,960

674.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$63.9 ৳7,880

596.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$134 ৳16.5K

1421.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$96.9 ৳11.9K

1440.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$353 ৳43.5K

886.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$306 ৳37.8K

740.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$171 ৳21.1K

191.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.08

-41.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barisal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $80.8 in Barisal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 192% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $6.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $102 – making Barisal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Barisal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 284%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $488 in Barisal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barisal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $17.19 in Barisal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Barisal, where all-in costs run around $325, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Barisal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barisal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barisal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.