Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baton Rouge, LA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baton Rouge, LA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,390 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,543 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,697 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Baton Rouge, LA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Baton Rouge, LA is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$14.93 $14.93

-70.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$81.4 $81.4

-60.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$12.19 $12.19

-26.74%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.92 $5.92

-51.01%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.19 $2.19

-59.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.37 $1.37

-64.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$5.43 $5.43

-56.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$7.63 $7.63

-51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.31 $1.31

42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.87 $2.87

-48.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.47 $2.47

-37.25%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.00 $3.00

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.20 $13.20

48.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$14.47 $14.47

-76.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$23.62 $23.62

-51.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.97 $4.97

-40.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.36 $2.36

-28.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$6.16 $6.16

-64.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.31 $4.31

-49.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$3.61 $3.61

-57.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.73 $2.73

-50.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.45 $2.45

-53.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.91 $2.91

-81.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$9.09 $9.09

-53.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$19.02 $19.02

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.91 $1.91

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.04 $2.04

36.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.73 $1.73

28.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$55.6 $55.6

-59.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.01 $4.01

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.20 $1.20

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$59.5 $59.5

-93.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.92 $0.92

61.96%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$35.5K $35.5K

-25.06%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$25.6K $25.6K

5.63%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$137 $137

-25.38%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$44.18 $44.18

-74.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$70.4 $70.4

-75.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$52.6 $52.6

-1.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$9.94 $9.94

11.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$11.90 $11.90

-35.38%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$1,963 $1,963

-71.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$10.1K $10.1K

13.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$32.88 $32.88

91.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$41.76 $41.76

-29.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$88.3 $88.3

11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$71.3 $71.3

24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,362 $1,362

-45.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,187 $1,187

-59.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,821 $1,821

15.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,759 $1,759

-30.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,776 $1,776

103.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,752 $1,752

48.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,173 $3,173

-84.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.07

-8.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Baton Rouge, LA: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,362 in Baton Rouge, LA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baton Rouge, LA pays 543% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Baton Rouge, LA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $444 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Baton Rouge, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Baton Rouge, LA differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,390 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 543% lower in Baton Rouge, LA. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $1,362 in Baton Rouge, LA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 145% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $1,963 in Baton Rouge, LA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,390 in Baton Rouge, LA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Baton Rouge, LA. 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 Baton Rouge, LA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.