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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $891 in Buriram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,455 in Buriram, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,019 in Buriram, rent included.

Phuket costs about 42% more than Buriram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Buriram are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Buriram 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.03 ฿98.6

50.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$27.92 ฿909

67.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.10 ฿264

4.57%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.24 ฿40.41

144.35%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.44 ฿14.42

56.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.25 ฿8.12

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.81 ฿59.0

37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.26 ฿139

-14.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.75 ฿57.1

24.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.34 ฿43.69

41.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.28 ฿41.69

71.88%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.20 ฿71.6

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$18.11 ฿590

10.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.10 ฿101

18.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.60 ฿345

25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.21 ฿105

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.20 ฿39.25

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.92 ฿62.5

24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.54 ฿50.0

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.48 ฿48.34

7.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.21 ฿39.56

22.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.99 ฿32.19

4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.48 ฿15.62

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.75 ฿155

-10.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$16.43 ฿535

14.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.72 ฿56.1

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.76 ฿89.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.89 ฿28.89

52.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.05 ฿34.19

199.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.16 ฿37.76

-10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.17 ฿201

123.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.29 ฿41.91

3.88%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$27.5K ฿895.3K

0.69%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.8K ฿904.3K

21.96%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$75.6 ฿2,463

63.46%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.45 ฿438

0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$18.87 ฿615

-0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$49.52 ฿1,613

24.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.07 ฿393

42.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.93 ฿226

31.89%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$304 ฿9,917

130.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$9,649 ฿314.3K

64.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$33.07 ฿1,077

79.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$34.61 ฿1,127

1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$101 ฿3,286

14.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$71.7 ฿2,334

17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$421 ฿13.7K

46.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$280 ฿9,115

54.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$818 ฿26.6K

152.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$654 ฿21.3K

131.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,278 ฿74.2K

60.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,366 ฿44.5K

92.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Buriram: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $421 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Buriram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $249 – 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 42%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,336 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $891 in Buriram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $304 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 $891, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.