Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Birjand Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Birjand

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $521 in Birjand, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $816 in Birjand, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,111 in Birjand, rent included.

Phuket costs about 142% more than Birjand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Birjand are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Birjand 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.95 $3.95

15.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$17.34 $17.34

168.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.47 $4.47

89.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.10 $1.10

175.45%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.46 $0.46

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.95 $0.95

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.60 $0.60

263.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.53 $0.53

258.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.93 $1.93

13.99%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.17 $1.17

89.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$3.52 $3.52

467.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.15 $3.15

16.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$9.76 $9.76

35.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.85 $0.85

280.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.36 $1.36

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.83 $0.83

187.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.55 $0.55

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.48 $0.48

231.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.46 $0.46

221.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.54 $0.54

90.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.25 $0.25

108.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.56 $0.56

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.14 $2.14

98.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.19 $0.19

615.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$10.15 $10.15

11.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.34 $0.34

823.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.29 $0.29

258.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.04 $2.04

575.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.79 $0.79

69.62%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$71.4K $71.4K

-61.25%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$55.6K $55.6K

-39.08%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$16.02 $16.02

671.47%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$2.03 $2.03

566.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$5.82 $5.82

221.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$15.84 $15.84

290.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.64 $12.64

36.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$1.47 $1.47

521.77%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$114 $114

516.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,002 $2,002

692.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$22.22 $22.22

167.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$24.64 $24.64

42.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$108 $108

6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$68.9 $68.9

21.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$290 $290

113.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$196 $196

120.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$633 $633

225.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$319 $319

374.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,099 $1,099

231.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$535 $535

390.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

22.24

-76.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Birjand: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $290 in Birjand. 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 $17.00 in Birjand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $105 – making Birjand 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 Birjand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $521 in Birjand – roughly 142% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $782 in Birjand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 178% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $17.00 in Birjand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Birjand, where all-in costs run around $521, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Birjand 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 $521 in Birjand to $1,261 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 Birjand. 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.