😐A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,138 in Belmopan, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,612 in Belmopan, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,086 in Belmopan, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 10% more than Belmopan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Phuket and Belmopan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket6% lower, Belmopan15% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$4.86BZD 9.72
-6.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$16.79BZD 33.58
175.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$7.26BZD 14.52
21.76%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$4.42BZD 8.83
-30.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.78BZD 1.55
-6.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.48BZD 0.95
-16.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$1.46BZD 2.92
66.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.20BZD 4.41
71.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$2.01BZD 4.02
12.44%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.60BZD 3.20
13.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.66BZD 3.33
35.54%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.89BZD 3.77
19.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$9.03BZD 18.06
116.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$6.73BZD 13.46
-45.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$12.03BZD 24.07
8.48%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
-
-
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.08BZD 2.16
50.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$2.22BZD 4.45
7.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$5.39BZD 10.77
-62.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
-
-
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
-
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
-
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$1.51BZD 3.02
-65.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
-
-
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$17.24BZD 34.49
6.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$2.30BZD 4.60
-19.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$2.28BZD 4.56
17.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$4.03BZD 8.05
-65.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$3.01BZD 6.03
3.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$2.94BZD 5.87
-64.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.76BZD 3.52
-25.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$148BZD 296
-17.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$50.6BZD 101
-73.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$36.36BZD 72.7
-48.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$44.80BZD 89.6
35.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$8.99BZD 17.99
0.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$39.37BZD 78.8
48.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$22.21BZD 44.43
59.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$49.17BZD 98.4
134.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$62.7BZD 125
33.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$446BZD 893
40.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$320BZD 640
39.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$545BZD 1,089
173.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Belmopan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Belmopan: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $446 in Belmopan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $17.00 in Belmopan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $258 – making Belmopan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Belmopan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Belmopan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,138 in Belmopan – roughly 10% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Belmopan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,707 in Belmopan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Belmopan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Belmopan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $17.00 in Belmopan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Belmopan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $1,138 in Belmopan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Belmopan, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Belmopan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Belmopan?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,138 in Belmopan to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Belmopan safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Phuket and Belmopan?
If budget matters most, go with Belmopan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.