Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Belize City Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Belize City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,085 in Belize City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,646 in Belize City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,206 in Belize City.

Living in Phuket is roughly 17% more expensive than Belize City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Belize City 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.19 BZD 12.39

-24.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$39.07 BZD 78.2

16.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.83 BZD 11.66

44.60%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.58 BZD 7.15

-18.16%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.35 BZD 2.71

-48.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.29 BZD 2.59

-71.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.23 BZD 4.46

8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.60 BZD 7.20

3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$3.18 BZD 6.37

-29.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.24 BZD 2.49

47.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.18 BZD 4.36

-0.46%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.42 BZD 4.85

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.11 BZD 14.21

177.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.65 BZD 13.30

-45.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.59 BZD 11.19

142.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.92 BZD 7.83

-16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.46 BZD 2.93

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.11 BZD 4.21

14.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.02 BZD 6.04

-31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.87 BZD 5.74

-46.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.37 BZD 4.74

-37.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.26 BZD 4.51

-56.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.94 BZD 1.89

-45.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.86 BZD 7.73

14.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$11.09 BZD 22.18

74.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.81 BZD 3.62

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.30 BZD 6.60

-17.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$2.03 BZD 4.06

-32.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$19.73 BZD 39.46

-42.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.94 BZD 7.88

-23.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$4.08 BZD 8.16

-75.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.88 BZD 3.76

-27.66%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$10.4K BZD 20.7K

172.12%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$206 BZD 412

-40.95%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$50.2 BZD 100

-72.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$55.2 BZD 110

-66.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$28.20 BZD 56.4

113.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$2.45 BZD 4.90

599.59%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$8.20 BZD 16.40

5.98%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$65.5 BZD 131

958.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$677 BZD 1,355

2216.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$37.00 BZD 74.0

60.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$26.92 BZD 53.8

29.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$81.2 BZD 162

41.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$88.5 BZD 177

-5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$277 BZD 553

121.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$183 BZD 365

139.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$619 BZD 1,239

238.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$346 BZD 691

336.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$202 BZD 405

1752.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,204 BZD 2,409

-57.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.83

-61.46%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Belize City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $277 in Belize City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belize City pays 137% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Belize City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $257 per month, with Belize City 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 Belize City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belize City wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Belize City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Belize City earns 137% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $277 in Belize City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Belize City – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,085 in Belize City versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Belize City but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Belize City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Belize City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,085 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Belize City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Belize City 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 Belize City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.