Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barrigada

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,681 in Barrigada, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barrigada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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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

Barrigada

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,681

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Barrigada

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 Barrigada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,681 in Barrigada.

Phuket $1,278
Barrigada $2,681

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,466 in Barrigada.

Phuket $2,216
Barrigada $3,466

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $4,252 in Barrigada.

Phuket $3,154
Barrigada $4,252

Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Barrigada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Barrigada is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$102 $102

-68.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.31

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.52

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$6.84 $6.84

-38.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.76

$1.45 $1.45

1.38%

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

$26.8K ฿903.4K

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

$26.7K ฿900.5K

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

$96.4 ฿3,251

$409 $409

-76.41%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$98.5 $98.5

-88.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$81.2 $81.2

-79.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$80.1 $80.1

-16.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$12.89 $12.89

-41.82%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$707 $707

-32.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,181

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,895

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$2,385 $2,385

-69.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,986 $1,986

-75.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$3,156 $3,156

-38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$2,845 $2,845

-49.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$4,731 $4,731

-89.38%

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 Barrigada: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Barrigada

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Barrigada

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Barrigada

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Barrigada

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Barrigada

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Barrigada

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Barrigada

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $2,385 in Barrigada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays about 9.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $32 in Phuket vs $102 in Barrigada for two.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇬🇺 Barrigada

🕒 Local time

11:40 11:40 AM

14:40 2:40 PM

3 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

8,875

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Phuket Barrigada 5,110 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Barrigada

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 Barrigada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is about 52% cheaper overall, especially in utilities and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $2,385 in Barrigada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $102 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $707 in Barrigada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,681 in Barrigada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. 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 Barrigada are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Barrigada on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.