Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Budaiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Budaiya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $688 in Budaiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,120 in Budaiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,552 in Budaiya.

Living in Phuket is roughly 84% more expensive than Budaiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Budaiya 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.45 BHD 2.05

-13.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$52.0 BHD 19.62

-12.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.47 BHD 2.82

12.85%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$5.11 BHD 1.93

-42.66%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.82 BHD 0.31

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.28 BHD 0.11

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$7.88 BHD 2.97

-69.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$10.64 BHD 4.01

-65.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.63 BHD 0.62

36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.28 BHD 0.48

42.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.21 BHD 0.46

79.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.55 BHD 0.59

42.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$2.73 BHD 1.03

623.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.70 BHD 2.90

-52.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.04 BHD 1.52

234.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.38 BHD 0.90

37.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.09 BHD 0.79

-22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.68 BHD 0.63

43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.05 BHD 0.40

98.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.81 BHD 0.31

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.08 BHD 0.41

37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.31 BHD 0.50

-24.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.54 BHD 0.20

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.75 BHD 2.17

-23.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$13.19 BHD 4.97

46.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.74 BHD 0.65

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.77 BHD 0.67

53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.69 BHD 1.01

12.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.61 BHD 0.98

-62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$26.02 BHD 9.81

-45.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.36 BHD 0.13

277.78%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$37.8K BHD 14.2K

-25.36%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.9K BHD 7,884

57.33%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$91.7 BHD 34.57

32.73%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$27.22 BHD 10.26

-50.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$26.96 BHD 10.16

-32.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.91 BHD 2.98

9.86%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$395 BHD 149

75.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$8,960 BHD 3,378

75.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$45.98 BHD 17.34

29.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$62.5 BHD 23.56

-44.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$83.2 BHD 31.35

37.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$88.1 BHD 33.22

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.56

-37.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Budaiya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $52.0 in Budaiya. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $190, with Budaiya cheaper for home cooking.

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 Budaiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budaiya wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Budaiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,033 in Budaiya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $688 in Budaiya – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $688 in Budaiya versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Budaiya but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Budaiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Budaiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $688 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budaiya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Budaiya 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 Budaiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.