Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buriram Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buriram

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $916 in Buriram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,504 in Buriram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,092 in Buriram, rent included.

Phuket costs about 38% more than Buriram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Buriram are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Buriram 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.49 ฿49.36

212.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$22.16 ฿732

45.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.56 ฿283

1.40%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.40 ฿46.39

107.14%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.48 ฿15.89

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.25 ฿8.24

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.85 ฿61.2

34.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.14 ฿137

-9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.01 ฿66.5

-5.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.31 ฿43.19

7.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.45 ฿48.02

11.72%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.39 ฿78.9

-6.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$15.15 ฿501

30.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.28 ฿75.2

52.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$9.62 ฿318

18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.54 ฿117

-18.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.14 ฿37.64

50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.39 ฿79.0

-5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.85 ฿61.0

15.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.48 ฿48.83

-0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.13 ฿37.27

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.19 ฿39.17

-7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.50 ฿16.40

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.56 ฿151

-5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$14.69 ฿485

26.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.75 ฿57.7

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.78 ฿91.7

6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.92 ฿30.41

144.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.26 ฿41.57

146.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.11 ฿36.62

-2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$3.70 ฿122

4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.33 ฿44.03

7.52%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$23.6K ฿779.3K

17.80%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$28.8K ฿952.5K

-6.40%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$93.9 ฿3,102

11.61%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$10.35 ฿342

10.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$22.27 ฿736

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$44.24 ฿1,462

22.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$14.52 ฿480

-21.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$6.36 ฿210

22.33%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$551 ฿18.2K

4.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$11.4K ฿376.1K

1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$46.36 ฿1,532

37.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$26.12 ฿863

11.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$78.0 ฿2,577

23.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$77.0 ฿2,543

16.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$461 ฿15.2K

58.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$297 ฿9,813

68.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,587 ฿52.4K

33.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$676 ฿22.3K

85.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,252 ฿74.4K

56.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,442 ฿47.6K

81.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Buriram: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $461 in Buriram. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Buriram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $239 – making Buriram the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Buriram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,375 in Buriram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buriram, 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 $916 in Buriram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $551 in Buriram. 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 Buriram, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Buriram it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buriram – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Buriram. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.