Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bata

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,431 in Bata, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Bata despite lower rent and utilities.

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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

Bata

🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea

$1,431

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Bata

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

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,431 in Bata, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Bata $1,431

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $2,102 in Bata, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Bata $2,102

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $2,773 in Bata, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Bata $2,773

Phuket is about 11% cheaper than Bata, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Bata is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$19.02 FCFA 11.2K

-76.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

$42.01 FCFA 24.7K

-22.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$2.62 FCFA 1,542

8.02%

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

$1.32 FCFA 777

-34.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

$0.88 FCFA 517

-44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

$3.39 FCFA 1,992

-24.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$4.19 FCFA 2,464

-12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.75 FCFA 1,026

-5.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

$3.09 FCFA 1,813

-52.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$1.49 FCFA 877

0.67%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$2.06 FCFA 1,208

1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

$10.35 FCFA 6,082

84.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$8.49 FCFA 4,987

-61.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$10.25 FCFA 6,020

6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

$10.16 FCFA 5,969

-71.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.69 FCFA 992

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$8.70 FCFA 5,111

-74.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$3.50 FCFA 2,057

-40.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

$2.64 FCFA 1,548

-42.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

$2.50 FCFA 1,470

-44.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

$0.81 FCFA 478

32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

$1.26 FCFA 738

-58.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$5.16 FCFA 3,032

-18.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

$6.11 FCFA 3,590

207.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$3.50 FCFA 2,058

-48.00%

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

$0.87 FCFA 509

247.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

$0.82 FCFA 480

24.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

$1.09 FCFA 639

34.86%

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

$339 FCFA 199.3K

-71.60%

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$50.5 FCFA 29.6K

-66.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

$68.9 FCFA 40.5K

-2.42%

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

$77.8 FCFA 45.7K

-19.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

$67.3 FCFA 39.5K

-57.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

$144 FCFA 84.7K

-34.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

$137 FCFA 80.5K

-37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$376 FCFA 221.0K

90.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

$217 FCFA 127.3K

126.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

$560 FCFA 329.2K

243.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

$337 FCFA 197.7K

325.10%

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

$769 FCFA 451.9K

-34.72%

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 Bata: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Bata

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Bata

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Bata

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Bata

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Bata

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Bata

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Bata

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $376 in Bata. 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 53% higher in Bata. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $42 in Bata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $341 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇬🇶 Bata

🕒 Local time

07:12 7:12 AM

01:12 1:12 AM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

230,282

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, 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).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 587 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 654 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Bata 9,830 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Bata

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 Bata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bata costs about 12% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $2,146 in Bata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bata, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $376 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,431 in Bata. That makes Phuket about 11% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Bata, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,431 in Bata. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bata makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.