Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Benares Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Benares

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

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

$102 ฿3,407

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

$11.33 ฿377

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

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

$561 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

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

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Benares: September 14, 2026

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 Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Benares – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Benares. 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.