Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buea Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $771 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,415 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,058 in Buea.

Living in Phuket is roughly 60% more expensive than in Buea, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Buea 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

147.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$124 FCFA 71.1K

-74.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.17 FCFA 3,527

44.73%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.20 FCFA 1,257

31.82%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.34 FCFA 766

-34.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.52 FCFA 299

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.08 FCFA 617

117.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.61 FCFA 917

131.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.89 FCFA 1,652

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.41 FCFA 236

258.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.66 FCFA 947

-6.63%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.01 FCFA 1,150

4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$23.31 FCFA 13.3K

-15.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.88 FCFA 4,506

-56.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$4.45 FCFA 2,544

155.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.54 FCFA 2,022

-15.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.45 FCFA 827

15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.91 FCFA 519

142.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.36 FCFA 775

58.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.80 FCFA 1,027

-15.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.37 FCFA 782

-2.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.75 FCFA 428

50.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.68 FCFA 387

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.61 FCFA 1,492

63.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$8.68 FCFA 4,957

119.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.26 FCFA 723

41.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

56.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.25 FCFA 143

1112.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.54 FCFA 309

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$5.33 FCFA 3,046

-27.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.20 FCFA 686

24.17%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$19.5K FCFA 11.2M

36.06%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$15.8K FCFA 9.0M

71.34%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$62.7 FCFA 35.8K

63.38%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$17.55 FCFA 10.0K

-35.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$175 FCFA 99.8K

-90.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$26.49 FCFA 15.1K

96.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$4.37 FCFA 2,498

153.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$8.58 FCFA 4,905

-10.37%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$530 FCFA 302.9K

5.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,440 FCFA 2.0M

234.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$35.15 FCFA 20.1K

79.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$69.9 FCFA 39.9K

-57.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$143 FCFA 81.8K

-31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$71.0 FCFA 40.6K

24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$130 FCFA 74.0K

280.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.04

-70.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Buea: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 281% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $124 in Buea. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $254, with Buea 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 Buea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Buea differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $771 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 281% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $530 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buea – a meal for two runs $124 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Buea versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buea but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Buea 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 Buea 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 Buea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.