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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $971 in Benares, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,588 in Benares, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,206 in Benares, rent included.

Phuket costs about 27% more than Benares, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Benares are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Benares 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.66 MUR 312

-30.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$43.77 MUR 2,048

7.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.43 MUR 301

37.48%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.53 MUR 119

18.58%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.95 MUR 44.26

-22.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.59 MUR 27.77

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.08 MUR 97.3

17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.77 MUR 130

30.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.45 MUR 67.8

55.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.69 MUR 32.34

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.32 MUR 61.5

69.70%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.25 MUR 105

3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.05 MUR 470

95.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.08 MUR 284

-39.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.29 MUR 481

27.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.99 MUR 93.2

70.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.91 MUR 89.3

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.50 MUR 70.1

60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.65 MUR 124

-23.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.98 MUR 45.75

59.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.93 MUR 43.67

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.80 MUR 37.48

27.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.57 MUR 26.81

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$6.12 MUR 286

-27.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.43 MUR 394

123.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.74 MUR 81.3

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.12 MUR 99.4

29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.05 MUR 49.12

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.42 MUR 207

-29.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.66 MUR 124

-62.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$15.14 MUR 709

-6.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.39 MUR 65.2

-2.88%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-23.87%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

12.53%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$49.48 MUR 2,315

152.59%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$18.40 MUR 861

-26.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$32.71 MUR 1,531

-43.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$38.61 MUR 1,807

59.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.98 MUR 280

53.68%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$154 MUR 7,220

352.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,949 MUR 184.8K

294.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$49.70 MUR 2,325

16.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$43.89 MUR 2,053

-19.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$82.2 MUR 3,846

37.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$78.0 MUR 3,647

10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$521 MUR 24.4K

18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$357 MUR 16.7K

25.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$936 MUR 43.8K

118.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$711 MUR 33.3K

109.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.25

-14.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Benares: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $521 in Benares. 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $44.00 in Benares. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $212 – making Benares 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 Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $971 in Benares – roughly 27% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,456 in Benares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benares, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $44.00 in Benares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benares, where all-in costs run around $971, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $971 in Benares to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.