Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bushehr Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bushehr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $496 in Bushehr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $771 in Bushehr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,046 in Bushehr.

Living in Phuket is roughly 148% more expensive than Bushehr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bushehr 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.06 $6.06

-23.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$13.75 $13.75

240.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.40 $3.40

160.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$0.99 $0.99

203.03%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.45 $0.45

64.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.21 $1.21

-69.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.48 $0.48

370.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.29 $0.29

534.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.59 $1.59

40.88%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$0.97 $0.97

139.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$1.51 $1.51

1202.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.97 $2.97

22.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$9.77 $9.77

34.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$0.62 $0.62

446.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.51 $1.51

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.92 $0.92

161.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.49 $0.49

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.49 $0.49

218.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.29 $0.29

417.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.69 $0.69

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.26 $0.26

88.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.63 $0.63

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 $0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.27 $2.27

96.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.18 $0.18

677.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$9.91 $9.91

15.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.29 $0.29

975.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.29 $0.29

244.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$1.67 $1.67

743.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.74 $0.74

82.43%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$60.1K $60.1K

-54.79%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$48.3K $48.3K

-31.91%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$20.21 $20.21

518.41%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$2.02 $2.02

571.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$5.79 $5.79

219.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$15.76 $15.76

290.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$12.67 $12.67

32.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$1.97 $1.97

366.50%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$50.2 $50.2

1291.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$593 $593

2530.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$23.93 $23.93

141.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$20.94 $20.94

68.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$73.1 $73.1

54.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$41.99 $41.99

105.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$289 $289

113.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$199 $199

124.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$322 $322

535.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$317 $317

371.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,060 $1,060

256.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$621 $621

326.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$275 $275

90.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

20.95

-74.56%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bushehr: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $289 in Bushehr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Bushehr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $93.0 per month, with Bushehr cheaper across the board.

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 Bushehr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bushehr wins on cost – living expenses run 148% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bushehr the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Phuket pays 90% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $289 in Bushehr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bushehr runs roughly 16% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $50.2 in Bushehr. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $496 in Bushehr versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bushehr but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bushehr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bushehr delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $496 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bushehr hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bushehr 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 Bushehr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.