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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $557 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $800 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,043 in Buea.

Living in Phuket is roughly 127% more expensive than in Buea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Buea 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.79 FCFA 1,016

150.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.05 FCFA 3,435

44.79%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.20 FCFA 1,252

35.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.26 FCFA 714

-45.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.52 FCFA 296

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.09 FCFA 619

132.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.37 FCFA 777

173.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$3.04 FCFA 1,726

-29.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.38 FCFA 216

378.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.64 FCFA 932

32.93%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.62 FCFA 1,490

-14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$4.47 FCFA 2,539

203.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.56 FCFA 2,024

-8.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.39 FCFA 786

17.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.86 FCFA 491

170.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.43 FCFA 813

44.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.78 FCFA 1,009

-12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.37 FCFA 780

6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.74 FCFA 420

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$8.78 FCFA 4,985

111.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.27 FCFA 722

46.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.73 FCFA 983

53.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.25 FCFA 142

1168.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.47 FCFA 265

119.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.44 FCFA 3,086

155.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.25 FCFA 708

7.20%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.2K FCFA 10.9M

44.73%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.9K FCFA 11.9M

59.48%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$62.4 FCFA 35.4K

97.29%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.41 FCFA 9,886

-20.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$110 FCFA 62.5K

-83.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$26.45 FCFA 15.0K

129.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$4.48 FCFA 2,546

283.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$623 FCFA 353.5K

10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$35.13 FCFA 19.9K

68.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$69.8 FCFA 39.6K

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$70.9 FCFA 40.3K

775.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$61.4 FCFA 34.8K

626.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$214 FCFA 121.3K

600.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$130 FCFA 74.0K

278.57%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Buea: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $70.9 in Buea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 279% 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 127% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $557 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 279% higher in Phuket, 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: $621 in Phuket versus $70.9 in Buea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $623 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $557 in Buea – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Buea versus $1,264 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 127% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.