Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buzias Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buzias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,065 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,624 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,184 in Buzias, rent included.

Phuket costs about 16% more than Buzias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Buzias are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Buzias 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$8.98 RON 41.15

-50.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$43.90 RON 201

-26.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.54 RON 34.55

18.44%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.28 RON 15.04

-11.59%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$2.21 RON 10.14

-60.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$1.90 RON 8.73

-74.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$3.30 RON 15.14

-28.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.21 RON 19.30

-11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.50 RON 6.89

24.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.16 RON 5.30

26.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.43 RON 6.53

8.39%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$3.58 RON 16.41

-41.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$8.07 RON 36.98

142.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.34 RON 29.02

-46.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$8.49 RON 38.88

34.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.25 RON 5.74

138.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.63 RON 7.46

3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.57 RON 7.19

40.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$2.69 RON 12.32

-19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.69 RON 3.15

120.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.64 RON 2.95

109.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$1.04 RON 4.77

8.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.96 RON 4.40

-42.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$6.15 RON 28.18

-30.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$7.92 RON 36.30

141.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$0.98 RON 4.49

81.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.40 RON 6.42

98.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.75 RON 3.42

197.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$22.42 RON 103

1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.98 RON 4.48

209.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.85 RON 3.88

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.60 RON 39.39

-54.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.85 RON 8.46

-19.46%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$29.6K RON 135.4K

-10.05%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$26.6K RON 122.0K

1.49%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$121 RON 556

-15.62%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$9.89 RON 45.31

14.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$12.97 RON 59.4

34.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$40.90 RON 187

27.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$21.33 RON 97.7

-48.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.04 RON 32.23

9.23%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$474 RON 2,169

18.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$7,065 RON 32.4K

62.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$80.2 RON 367

-21.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$33.95 RON 156

-13.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$89.8 RON 411

9.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$95.5 RON 438

-7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$410 RON 1,877

80.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$302 RON 1,384

59.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$640 RON 2,933

229.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$478 RON 2,188

156.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,950 RON 8,931

85.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,382 RON 6,331

88.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.02

-20.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Buzias: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $410 in Buzias. 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 $44.00 in Buzias. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $206 in Buzias – so Buzias 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 Buzias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,598 in Buzias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buzias, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Buzias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $474 in Buzias. 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 Buzias, where all-in costs run around $1,065, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Buzias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buzias – 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 Buzias. 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.