Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barlad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barlad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $1,024 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $1,576 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $2,129 in Barlad, rent included.

Phuket costs about 24% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$9.70 RON 42.10

-51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$45.51 RON 198

2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$7.98 RON 34.64

8.77%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$2.64 RON 11.47

11.74%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$2.00 RON 8.70

-65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$1.76 RON 7.63

-77.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$2.27 RON 9.87

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$2.74 RON 11.88

37.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.54 RON 6.67

44.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$1.23 RON 5.33

46.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.73 RON 7.53

26.59%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$3.39 RON 14.70

-31.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$8.67 RON 37.63

123.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$6.76 RON 29.33

-44.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$10.20 RON 44.27

29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$1.13 RON 4.92

194.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.54 RON 6.69

7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.60 RON 6.96

43.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.93 RON 8.36

3.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$0.83 RON 3.59

84.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$0.97 RON 4.21

55.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$0.87 RON 3.77

18.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.77 RON 3.33

-33.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$5.76 RON 25.01

-23.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$7.89 RON 34.26

146.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.07 RON 4.63

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$1.71 RON 7.40

56.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.70 RON 3.04

104.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$19.64 RON 85.2

-40.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$0.71 RON 3.09

328.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.73 RON 3.19

42.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$6.81 RON 29.57

100.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.53 RON 6.65

-15.03%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$28.3K RON 122.8K

-1.43%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$27.2K RON 118.2K

21.33%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$152 RON 659

-19.00%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$7.89 RON 34.24

75.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$9.04 RON 39.25

108.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$41.38 RON 180

47.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$19.08 RON 82.8

-11.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$6.87 RON 29.81

29.11%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$424 RON 1,840

64.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$7,014 RON 30.4K

128.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$67.3 RON 292

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$38.54 RON 167

-9.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$75.4 RON 327

50.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$93.8 RON 407

-9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$393 RON 1,705

56.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$295 RON 1,280

52.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$578 RON 2,510

260.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$445 RON 1,933

235.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$2,024 RON 8,782

84.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$1,552 RON 6,737

71.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.56

-18.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $393 in Barlad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $46 in Barlad. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $211 in Barlad – so Barlad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Phuket, $1,024 in Barlad – roughly 24% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $1,535 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 68% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $424 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,024 in Barlad to $1,270 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Barlad. 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.