Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bel Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bel Air

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $609 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,009 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,410 in Bel Air.

Living in Phuket is roughly 102% more expensive than in Bel Air, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Bel Air 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.71 MUR 271

-22.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$38.67 MUR 1,837

-16.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.22 MUR 343

23.68%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$1.08 MUR 51.5

168.52%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.08 MUR 51.3

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.58 MUR 27.64

-17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$1.56 MUR 74.2

50.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.09 MUR 147

20.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.56 MUR 73.9

19.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$0.78 MUR 37.18

88.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.11 MUR 52.7

39.64%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.58 MUR 122

-18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$5.46 MUR 259

258.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.47 MUR 307

-47.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$11.27 MUR 535

0.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.74 MUR 130

8.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$2.61 MUR 124

-35.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.40 MUR 66.6

57.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$2.91 MUR 138

-25.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.00 MUR 47.49

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$0.99 MUR 47.14

35.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.69 MUR 32.86

63.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.91 MUR 43.37

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.32 MUR 300

-32.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$8.34 MUR 396

128.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.69 MUR 80.3

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.32 MUR 110

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.34 MUR 206

-30.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$3.14 MUR 149

-67.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$21.29 MUR 1,011

-81.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.35 MUR 63.9

10.37%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$37.1K MUR 1.8M

-28.45%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$31.1K MUR 1.5M

-13.15%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$45.51 MUR 2,162

125.16%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$10.67 MUR 507

6.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$29.21 MUR 1,388

-40.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$6.48 MUR 308

18.67%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$129 MUR 6,114

335.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$7,597 MUR 360.9K

51.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$77.1 MUR 3,664

-18.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$74.4 MUR 3,533

-60.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$119 MUR 5,668

-17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$78.5 MUR 3,726

12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Bel Air. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $219, with Bel Air cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bel Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bel Air wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bel Air the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $913 in Bel Air to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $609 in Bel Air – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $609 in Bel Air versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bel Air but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bel Air the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bel Air delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $609 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bel Air hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bel Air 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 Bel Air gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.