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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $553 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $801 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,050 in Buea.

Living in Phuket is roughly 121% more expensive than Buea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Buea 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$1.79 FCFA 1,011

151.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.16 FCFA 3,478

37.82%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.15 FCFA 1,212

43.26%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.27 FCFA 718

-46.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.52 FCFA 295

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.04 FCFA 587

133.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.39 FCFA 787

161.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$3.15 FCFA 1,776

-30.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.39 FCFA 217

364.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.58 FCFA 892

41.14%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.61 FCFA 1,474

-14.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$4.31 FCFA 2,431

212.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.57 FCFA 2,016

-5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.37 FCFA 773

18.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.92 FCFA 522

161.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.43 FCFA 809

39.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.77 FCFA 999

-13.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.43 FCFA 808

1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.74 FCFA 417

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$8.79 FCFA 4,964

117.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.21 FCFA 682

52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.72 FCFA 973

59.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.27 FCFA 154

1011.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.50 FCFA 280

110.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$5.45 FCFA 3,073

155.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.20 FCFA 675

7.50%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$19.5K FCFA 11.0M

43.84%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$21.1K FCFA 11.9M

58.86%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$60.8 FCFA 34.3K

100.72%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$17.86 FCFA 10.1K

-22.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$112 FCFA 63.4K

-83.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$26.94 FCFA 15.2K

127.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$4.33 FCFA 2,443

288.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$627 FCFA 354.0K

10.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$35.17 FCFA 19.9K

64.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$69.9 FCFA 39.5K

18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$69.4 FCFA 39.2K

774.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$61.1 FCFA 34.5K

633.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$209 FCFA 118.1K

613.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$132 FCFA 74.6K

282.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Buea: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $69.4 in Buea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 282% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 121% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $553 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 282% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $69.4 in Buea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $627 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $553 in Buea – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $553 in Buea versus $1,223 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 121% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.