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 $1,023 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,709 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,395 in Bel Air.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than Bel Air, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bel Air 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.72 MUR 314

-31.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$43.62 MUR 2,039

7.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$7.31 MUR 342

20.93%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$1.13 MUR 52.7

165.49%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$1.04 MUR 48.43

-28.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.56 MUR 26.33

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$1.68 MUR 78.3

45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$3.21 MUR 150

12.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.64 MUR 76.8

37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$0.71 MUR 33.30

159.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$1.27 MUR 59.4

76.38%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$2.31 MUR 108

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$11.68 MUR 546

68.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.12 MUR 286

-40.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$12.70 MUR 594

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$1.97 MUR 92.1

72.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.96 MUR 91.6

-16.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$1.50 MUR 70.3

60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$2.62 MUR 123

-22.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$1.03 MUR 48.07

51.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$0.92 MUR 43.16

63.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$0.78 MUR 36.54

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.76 MUR 35.69

-35.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$6.76 MUR 316

-34.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$8.61 MUR 403

119.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$1.72 MUR 80.5

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$2.15 MUR 100

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$1.04 MUR 48.56

34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$4.48 MUR 210

-30.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$2.64 MUR 123

-62.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$19.76 MUR 924

-28.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$1.46 MUR 68.5

-7.53%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

-23.11%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.6K MUR 1.3M

15.30%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$50.4 MUR 2,354

148.22%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$18.45 MUR 863

-26.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$33.73 MUR 1,577

-45.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$38.42 MUR 1,796

60.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$6.07 MUR 284

51.40%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$153 MUR 7,153

356.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$3,956 MUR 184.9K

294.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$86.4 MUR 4,039

-33.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$80.2 MUR 3,751

-56.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$131 MUR 6,141

-13.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$95.7 MUR 4,473

-9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$512 MUR 23.9K

20.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$355 MUR 16.6K

25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$950 MUR 44.4K

115.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$719 MUR 33.6K

107.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $512 in Bel Air. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Bel Air for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $230 per month, with Bel Air 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 Bel Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bel Air wins on cost – living expenses run 20% 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 $1,534 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $512 in Bel Air. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 $1,023 in Bel Air – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 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 $1,023 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 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.