Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bugibba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bugibba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,577 in Bugibba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,459 in Bugibba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,342 in Bugibba, rent included.

Phuket is about 20% cheaper than Bugibba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Bugibba is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$15.34 €13.21

-69.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$69.4 €59.7

-34.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$10.12 €8.71

-16.70%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.35 €2.02

24.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.36 €2.03

-70.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.79 €1.54

-79.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.53 €3.90

-46.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.52 €3.90

-17.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.24 €1.07

79.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.38 €1.19

32.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.41 €2.07

-9.96%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.50 €3.02

-36.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.66 €8.32

104.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.21 €7.07

-55.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.47 €11.60

0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.37 €2.04

38.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.59 €1.37

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.52 €2.17

-4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.44 €2.10

-14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.69 €1.45

-9.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.37 €1.18

8.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.26 €1.08

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.49 €0.42

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.62 €5.70

-33.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$5.97 €5.14

224.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.52 €1.31

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.32 €1.14

105.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$2.36 €2.04

-41.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.50 €3.02

-13.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.93 €1.66

-48.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$34.03 €29.30

-58.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.51 €1.30

-9.93%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$25.0K €21.5K

12.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.4K €19.3K

46.99%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$77.6 €66.8

56.87%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$18.62 €16.03

-27.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$31.28 €26.94

-41.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$65.7 €56.5

-8.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$34.94 €30.09

-50.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.97 €9.45

-20.78%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$265 €228

162.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$12.9K €11.1K

21.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$104 €89.5

-42.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$28.40 €24.46

22.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$68.1 €58.6

68.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$62.9 €54.2

32.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$955 €822

-35.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$774 €666

-43.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,533 €1,320

36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,321 €1,137

14.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,685 €1,451

-69.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.61

15.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bugibba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $955 in Bugibba. 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 232% higher in Bugibba, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $69.0 in Bugibba. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $245 in Bugibba – so Bugibba 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 Bugibba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,577 in Bugibba – roughly 25% apart. Bugibba costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,365 in Bugibba. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,577 in Bugibba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $265 in Bugibba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Bugibba at $1,577. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bugibba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bugibba has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $1,577 in Bugibba. 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, Bugibba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.