Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Budaors Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Budaors

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,366 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $2,062 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,759 in Budaors, rent included.

Phuket is about 7% cheaper than Budaors, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Budaors is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$11.44 Ft 3,606

-60.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$51.2 Ft 16.1K

-10.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.84 Ft 2,785

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.33 Ft 733

27.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.76 Ft 555

-60.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.35 Ft 427

-71.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.41 Ft 758

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.95 Ft 929

27.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.03 Ft 325

108.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.59 Ft 500

14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.03 Ft 641

7.39%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.10 Ft 978

-27.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.83 Ft 3,097

103.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.35 Ft 2,000

-42.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.47 Ft 4,245

0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.87 Ft 589

73.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.91 Ft 601

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.08 Ft 655

12.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$3.20 Ft 1,008

-35.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.16 Ft 366

33.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.42 Ft 447

2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.53 Ft 483

-35.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.60 Ft 189

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.80 Ft 2,142

-36.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$4.76 Ft 1,500

290.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.12 Ft 353

66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.65 Ft 518

60.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.28 Ft 405

10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$13.72 Ft 4,323

-15.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.23 Ft 1,018

-1.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.14 Ft 359

-9.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$19.08 Ft 6,010

-27.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.84 Ft 579

-27.17%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$25.5K Ft 8.0M

8.82%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$32.1K Ft 10.1M

4.00%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$147 Ft 46.3K

-16.32%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$26.54 Ft 8,361

-48.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$19.33 Ft 6,091

-5.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$71.0 Ft 22.4K

-14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$10.47 Ft 3,299

63.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$9.02 Ft 2,842

-1.66%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$449 Ft 141.4K

53.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,357 Ft 2.0M

148.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$65.8 Ft 20.7K

-9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$38.33 Ft 12.1K

-9.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$92.4 Ft 29.1K

24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$92.8 Ft 29.2K

-9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$534 Ft 168.3K

16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$532 Ft 167.6K

-16.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$806 Ft 254.0K

152.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$803 Ft 253.1K

86.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$4,163 Ft 1.3M

-17.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$3,776 Ft 1.2M

-32.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,688 Ft 531.9K

-70.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.5

-28.93%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Budaors: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $534 in Budaors. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 242% higher in Budaors, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $51.0 in Budaors. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $232 in Budaors – so Budaors wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Budaors: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,366 in Budaors – roughly 8% apart. Budaors costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $2,048 in Budaors. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Budaors – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $51.0 in Budaors. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Budaors at $1,366. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budaors 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 $1,264 in Phuket to $1,366 in Budaors. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budaors makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.