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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,123 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,736 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $2,348 in Buzias, rent included.

Phuket costs about 9% more than Buzias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Buzias are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Buzias 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$11.46 RON 51.6

-60.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$57.3 RON 258

-18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.24 RON 37.13

3.03%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$3.49 RON 15.70

-11.75%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.39 RON 10.75

-71.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$2.16 RON 9.71

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$3.18 RON 14.33

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$4.01 RON 18.08

-9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.78 RON 8.00

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.31 RON 5.89

38.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.81 RON 8.14

23.20%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$3.41 RON 15.34

-34.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$10.01 RON 45.09

95.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$6.96 RON 31.36

-46.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$11.72 RON 52.8

14.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.24 RON 5.58

170.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.78 RON 7.99

-8.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.62 RON 7.29

48.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.34 RON 10.52

-14.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.96 RON 4.31

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.98 RON 4.43

47.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.03 RON 4.63

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.94 RON 4.22

-48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$6.38 RON 28.72

-33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$8.35 RON 37.63

128.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.13 RON 5.07

62.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.98 RON 8.90

38.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.67 RON 3.01

111.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$20.09 RON 90.5

-41.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.99 RON 4.47

203.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.83 RON 3.74

26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$9.52 RON 42.89

46.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.63 RON 7.35

-20.86%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$28.1K RON 126.7K

-0.38%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$26.8K RON 120.6K

25.12%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$159 RON 717

-23.35%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$8.74 RON 39.36

59.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$10.07 RON 45.37

87.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$42.10 RON 190

45.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$18.87 RON 85.0

-10.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$8.12 RON 36.55

9.48%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$493 RON 2,219

40.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$10.7K RON 48.3K

50.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$70.5 RON 318

-18.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$39.80 RON 179

-11.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$83.9 RON 378

35.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$101 RON 454

-17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$388 RON 1,747

56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$293 RON 1,319

53.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$582 RON 2,620

248.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$436 RON 1,965

242.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,945 RON 8,758

84.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,387 RON 6,247

86.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.85

-8.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Buzias: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $388 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $57.0 in Buzias. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $233 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 9%, 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,685 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 71% less in Buzias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $691 per month in Phuket and $493 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 $1,123, than in Phuket at $1,223. 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.