Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Basseterre Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Basseterre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,566 in Basseterre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,957 in Basseterre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,348 in Basseterre, rent included.

Phuket is about 19% cheaper than Basseterre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Basseterre is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$20.56 EC$55.5

-77.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$92.8 EC$251

-49.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$13.87 EC$37.45

-38.93%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.79 EC$10.23

-20.05%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.07 EC$5.58

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$2.38 EC$6.43

-84.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.18 EC$5.90

14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.67 EC$9.91

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$3.92 EC$10.60

-44.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.99 EC$10.76

-52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$3.81 EC$10.27

-42.26%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$5.54 EC$14.95

-59.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$12.31 EC$33.24

62.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$13.12 EC$35.43

-72.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$4.56 EC$12.32

-29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.99 EC$8.07

-43.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$3.79 EC$10.24

-45.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.16 EC$5.83

-26.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.08 EC$5.61

-28.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$5.85 EC$15.79

-82.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.40 EC$3.77

-62.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.52 EC$6.81

-30.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.72 EC$10.04

-25.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$2.24 EC$6.06

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$20.30 EC$54.8

-84.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$99.8 EC$269

23.87%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$41.05 EC$111

-67.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.83 EC$15.74

56.78%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$88.7 EC$239

-32.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$128 EC$347

-10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$707 EC$1,908

-12.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$650 EC$1,755

-33.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$4,910 EC$13.3K

-25.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$3,921 EC$10.6K

-33.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,105 EC$2,985

-54.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Basseterre: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $707 in Basseterre. 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 118% higher in Basseterre, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $93.0 in Basseterre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $350 – making Phuket 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 Basseterre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $1,566 in Basseterre – roughly 24% apart. Basseterre costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $2,349 in Basseterre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $93.0 in Basseterre. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $1,566 in Basseterre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Basseterre at $1,566. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basseterre 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 $1,261 in Phuket to $1,566 in Basseterre. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basseterre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.