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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $320 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $518 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $717 in Barisal, rent included.

Phuket costs about 292% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Barisal 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿151

$1.39 ৳171

228.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,082

$10.82 ৳1,325

201.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿295

$4.82 ৳590

84.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 ৳333

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 ৳584

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿93.0

$1.85 ৳227

51.35%

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

$0.88 ฿29.19

$0.27 ৳32.66

225.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.23

$0.13 ৳15.77

276.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.3

$0.73 ৳88.9

145.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.81

$0.60 ৳73.2

140.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.6

$0.52 ৳63.2

203.85%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿70.5

$1.20 ৳147

77.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿661

$6.16 ৳754

223.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿114

$2.26 ৳277

51.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿376

$6.53 ৳800

73.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.8

$2.32 ৳284

27.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.1

$0.98 ৳120

75.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿77.1

$2.02 ৳248

14.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.0

$0.54 ৳66.5

285.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$0.32 ৳39.46

359.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.05

$0.43 ৳52.4

216.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.45

$0.45 ৳54.9

144.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿19.06

$0.34 ৳41.65

67.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.73 ৳825

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 ৳451

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ৳553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿142

$3.19 ৳391

33.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

$0.29 ৳35.97

665.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

$12.13 ৳1,486

88.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.31 ৳160

131.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

$0.39 ৳48.29

174.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

$2.90 ৳355

35.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.49

$1.06 ৳130

40.57%

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

$27.1K ฿899.8K

$27.3K ৳3.3M

-0.69%

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

$27.5K ฿910.6K

$32.8K ৳4.0M

-16.28%

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

$103 ฿3,410

$20.10 ৳2,462

411.44%

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

$10.99 ฿365

$5.22 ৳640

110.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿581

$11.95 ৳1,464

46.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,776

$7.02 ৳860

662.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

$12.16 ৳1,489

-7.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿248

$4.99 ৳611

49.90%

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

$557 ฿18.5K

$13.60 ৳1,666

3995.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿393.2K

$704 ৳86.2K

1584.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,125

$17.07 ৳2,091

275.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿964

$18.01 ৳2,206

61.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,183

$32.43 ৳3,973

195.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,997

$24.09 ৳2,951

275.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.2K

$74.3 ৳9,103

882.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.6K

$53.9 ৳6,607

826.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.3K

$132 ৳16.1K

1487.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.1K

$85.3 ৳10.4K

1317.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

$361 ৳44.2K

896.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

$308 ৳37.7K

716.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.7K

$169 ৳20.7K

197.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.44

-46.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barisal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $74.3 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 198% 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $11.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $105 – 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 292%, 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 $1,880 per month in Phuket and $479 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 89% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $13.60 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 $320, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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.