Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Biratnagar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Biratnagar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $387 in Biratnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $644 in Biratnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $901 in Biratnagar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 227% more expensive than Biratnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Biratnagar 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$1.66 NPR 253

183.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$17.92 NPR 2,728

153.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.42 NPR 1,282

0.12%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.50 NPR 229

95.33%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.38 NPR 57.4

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.20 NPR 29.71

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.61 NPR 246

49.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.58 NPR 392

44.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.68 NPR 103

227.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.43 NPR 65.1

325.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.71 NPR 107

205.63%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.40 NPR 213

57.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.24 NPR 797

276.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.93 NPR 447

23.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$3.39 NPR 516

299.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.23 NPR 340

47.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.84 NPR 128

91.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.49 NPR 226

61.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.58 NPR 88.4

258.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.40 NPR 61.0

282.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.52 NPR 78.8

184.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.53 NPR 80.7

86.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.32 NPR 48.20

59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.86 NPR 435

54.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.29 NPR 349

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.29 NPR 501

-17.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.15 NPR 23.07

813.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$12.94 NPR 1,969

-11.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.19 NPR 334

37.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.82 NPR 125

20.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.50 NPR 381

464.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.25 NPR 190

8.80%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-10.51%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$39.9K NPR 6.1M

-17.45%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$26.64 NPR 4,055

356.83%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$4.72 NPR 719

187.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$10.10 NPR 1,538

81.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$18.54 NPR 2,821

224.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$2.17 NPR 330

689.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.43 NPR 522

153.35%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$53.4 NPR 8,128

1198.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,968 NPR 299.6K

697.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$25.03 NPR 3,811

137.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$35.75 NPR 5,441

-2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$27.21 NPR 4,142

321.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$32.65 NPR 4,970

155.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$106 NPR 16.2K

477.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$58.6 NPR 8,917

646.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$206 NPR 31.3K

918.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$142 NPR 21.7K

959.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$388 NPR 59.0K

866.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$261 NPR 39.7K

902.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$164 NPR 25.0K

209.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-61.93%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Biratnagar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $106 in Biratnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 209% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Biratnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $111 per month, with Biratnagar 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 Biratnagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Biratnagar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 227% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 209% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $106 in Biratnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 163% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Biratnagar – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $387 in Biratnagar versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Biratnagar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Biratnagar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Biratnagar is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Biratnagar 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 Biratnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 227% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.