Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bucha Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bucha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $727 in Bucha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,098 in Bucha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,469 in Bucha.

Living in Phuket is roughly 74% more expensive than in Bucha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bucha 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$10.29 ₴460

-54.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,057

$22.20 ₴993

45.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿285

$6.70 ₴299

29.55%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.1

$1.16 ₴52.0

150.00%

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

$0.84 ฿27.69

$0.67 ₴29.80

25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.05

$0.48 ₴21.42

2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.5

$1.15 ₴51.5

115.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.83 ₴81.8

103.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿61.9

$1.00 ₴44.92

89.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.21

$0.88 ₴39.20

60.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.27 ₴56.7

27.56%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.5

$1.69 ₴75.6

32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿651

$6.51 ₴291

204.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.83 ₴171

-9.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿373

$4.82 ₴216

135.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.1

$1.20 ₴53.5

141.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.45 ₴64.9

18.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.6

$1.66 ₴74.3

36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.0

$2.59 ₴116

-17.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.38

$0.66 ₴29.47

122.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.59

$0.49 ₴22.05

189.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.00

$1.40 ₴62.8

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.62

$0.52 ₴23.34

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿141

$3.11 ₴139

38.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿610

$3.94 ₴176

372.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.1

$0.98 ₴43.65

83.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.3

$1.36 ₴60.8

118.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.7

$0.43 ₴19.38

423.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿771

$12.41 ₴555

89.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.10 ₴94.1

47.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.31

$0.47 ₴21.01

129.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$4.34 ₴194

-10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.83

$1.73 ₴77.3

-17.34%

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

$27.8K ฿911.7K

$29.9K ₴1.3M

-7.08%

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

$27.0K ฿885.3K

$22.6K ₴1.0M

19.31%

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

$105 ฿3,438

$96.5 ₴4,315

8.63%

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

$11.39 ฿374

$5.83 ₴261

95.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿576

$6.76 ₴302

159.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,783

$26.51 ₴1,186

104.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿375

$15.23 ₴681

-24.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿255

$4.70 ₴210

65.53%

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

$576 ฿18.9K

$398 ₴17.8K

44.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿380.0K

$4,338 ₴194.0K

166.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,088

$68.3 ₴3,055

-6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿955

$18.07 ₴808

61.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,157

$57.3 ₴2,564

67.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,953

$55.2 ₴2,470

63.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

$204 ₴9,114

259.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.4K

$204 ₴9,103

146.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿69.7K

$461 ₴20.6K

361.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.1K

$303 ₴13.6K

313.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿115.9K

$1,041 ₴46.6K

239.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.0K

$788 ₴35.2K

232.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$555 ₴24.8K

-8.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.25

-69.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bucha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $204 in Bucha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucha pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Bucha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $148 per month, with Bucha 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 Bucha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bucha differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $727 including rent). Bucha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Bucha. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $204 in Bucha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $727 in Bucha – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucha runs roughly 89% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $727 in Bucha versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucha but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bucha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bucha 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 Bucha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.