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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,577 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,333 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,089 in Budaors, rent included.

Phuket is about 22% cheaper than Budaors, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Budaors is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$12.54 Ft 3,988

-64.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$58.0 Ft 18.4K

-44.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$11.25 Ft 3,579

-20.62%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.52 Ft 803

15.08%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.59 Ft 507

-44.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.00 Ft 637

-76.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.51 Ft 798

-6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.92 Ft 928

27.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.25 Ft 397

49.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.63 Ft 518

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.50 Ft 794

-38.00%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.60 Ft 1,144

-41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$12.18 Ft 3,874

60.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.86 Ft 2,181

-50.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$15.01 Ft 4,774

-24.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.18 Ft 695

36.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.22 Ft 705

-24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.47 Ft 786

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.16 Ft 1,325

-48.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.18 Ft 375

28.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.43 Ft 456

-6.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.65 Ft 525

-31.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.61 Ft 193

-9.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$8.36 Ft 2,660

-49.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$5.58 Ft 1,775

242.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.28 Ft 407

39.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.18 Ft 694

27.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.46 Ft 464

52.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$15.22 Ft 4,841

49.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.40 Ft 1,081

-10.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.36 Ft 432

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$19.70 Ft 6,266

-80.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.85 Ft 590

-19.46%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$32.1K Ft 10.2M

-17.21%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$38.3K Ft 12.2M

-29.45%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$173 Ft 55.0K

-40.72%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$25.12 Ft 7,990

-54.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$21.75 Ft 6,920

-20.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$77.8 Ft 24.7K

-33.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$17.35 Ft 5,519

-36.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$9.84 Ft 3,132

-21.85%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$570 Ft 181.5K

-1.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$8,225 Ft 2.6M

39.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$102 Ft 32.4K

-38.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$47.18 Ft 15.0K

-37.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$107 Ft 34.1K

-8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$117 Ft 37.1K

-24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$581 Ft 184.7K

27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$559 Ft 177.9K

-13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$858 Ft 272.8K

145.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$848 Ft 269.6K

44.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$4,233 Ft 1.3M

-14.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$3,837 Ft 1.2M

-32.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,747 Ft 555.6K

-71.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.56

-15.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Budaors: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $581 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 254% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Budaors. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $266 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,577 in Budaors – roughly 28% apart. Budaors costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,365 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 3% 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $58.0 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 $1,232, than in Budaors at $1,577. 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $1,577 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.