Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bel Air, Mauritius

For one person, living is cheaper in Bel Air: $596 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Bel Air, Mauritius
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Bel Air
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$596
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Bel Air

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $596 in Bel Air.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Bel Air $596

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,005 in Bel Air.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Bel Air $1,005

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,415 in Bel Air.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Bel Air $1,415

Living in Phuket is roughly 115% more expensive than in Bel Air, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Bel Air 56% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$5.67 MUR 264
-21.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$38.57 MUR 1,797
-15.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$7.51 MUR 350
17.31%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.08 MUR 50.4
162.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.40
$1.03 MUR 48.03
-15.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.59 MUR 27.71
-16.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.60 MUR 74.5
60.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.09 MUR 144
19.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.59 MUR 74.2
4.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.29
$0.74 MUR 34.61
97.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.10 MUR 51.1
36.36%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.59 MUR 121
-19.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$5.17 MUR 241
268.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$6.31 MUR 294
-47.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$11.38 MUR 530
-4.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.8
$2.77 MUR 129
5.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.57 MUR 120
-34.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$1.41 MUR 65.6
59.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$3.04 MUR 142
-31.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.00 MUR 46.65
51.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.51
$1.02 MUR 47.68
35.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.95
$0.69 MUR 32.26
55.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.50
$0.86 MUR 39.87
-39.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.62 MUR 308
-36.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$8.43 MUR 393
122.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$1.72 MUR 79.9
5.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.27 MUR 106
25.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.97
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,911
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$4.19 MUR 195
-27.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.32
$3.23 MUR 150
-68.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$21.07 MUR 982
-82.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.75
$1.36 MUR 63.4
8.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.2K
$36.5K MUR 1.7M
-26.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.3K
$30.7K MUR 1.4M
-12.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,250
$45.82 MUR 2,135
110.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$10.71 MUR 499
5.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$29.24 MUR 1,362
-42.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$6.20 MUR 289
20.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$130 MUR 6,047
266.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.9K
$7,780 MUR 362.4K
44.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,103
$78.5 MUR 3,655
-20.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$73.4 MUR 3,417
-61.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,180
$122 MUR 5,695
-22.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,894
$77.1 MUR 3,590
11.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bel Air
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Bel Air
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Bel Air
$218 18.3% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Bel Air
$86 31.1% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Bel Air
$158 29.6% $36
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Bel Air
$102 16.5% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Bel Air
$12 * 84.9% $70
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Bel Air
$20 * 71.2% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $39 in Bel Air. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $218, with Bel Air cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇺 Bel Air
🕒 Local time
00:19 12:19 AM
21:19 9:19 PM
3 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
17,600
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 46.58 MUR (100 MUR = 2.15 USD). 1 EUR = 51.98 MUR (100 MUR = 1.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Bel Air 5,430 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Bel Air

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 Bel Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Bel Air?
Bel Air wins on cost – living expenses run 53% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Bel Air?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $893 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.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Bel Air?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Bel Air?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $596 in Bel Air – Bel Air is about 53% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Phuket or in Bel Air?
At $596 in Bel Air versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Bel Air?
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.
How safe is Phuket compared to Bel Air?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Bel Air are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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