Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barra

For one person, living is cheaper in Barra: $104 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Barra

🇬🇲 Gambia

$104

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Barra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Barra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $104 in Barra, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Barra $104

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $177 in Barra, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Barra $177

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $250 in Barra, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Barra $250

Phuket costs about 1126% more than Barra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Barra are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Barra 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

$0.96 GMD 71.5

52.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$2.47 GMD 183

-15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$7.20 GMD 533

-54.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.99 GMD 147

-15.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$2.72 GMD 202

-17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$2.01 GMD 149

3.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

$1.11 GMD 81.9

36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

$0.80 GMD 59.0

72.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

$0.45 GMD 33.15

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.11 GMD 82.1

63.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

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

$26.8K ฿902.4K

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

$26.7K ฿899.5K

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

$96.4 ฿3,247

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Barra: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Barra

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Barra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Barra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Barra

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Barra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Barra

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Barra

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇬🇲 Barra

🕒 Local time

11:01 11:01 AM

04:01 4:01 AM

7 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

6,020

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 74.1 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 82.49 GMD (100 GMD = 1.21 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Barra 12,450 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Barra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Barra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 1126%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $156 in Barra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $104 in Barra. That makes Barra about 92% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 155% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barra, where all-in costs run around $104, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Barra 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 $104 in Barra to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.