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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,109 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,735 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,362 in Buzias, rent included.

Phuket costs about 14% more than Buzias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Buzias are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Buzias 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$11.66 RON 53.0

-61.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$58.4 RON 266

-21.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.02 RON 36.45

9.23%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.39 RON 15.42

-12.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.34 RON 10.64

-70.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$2.11 RON 9.60

-81.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.32 RON 15.07

-23.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.03 RON 18.31

-6.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.72 RON 7.82

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.29 RON 5.85

41.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.83 RON 8.30

19.13%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.27 RON 14.88

-31.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.15 RON 46.16

97.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.20 RON 32.72

-49.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.02 RON 54.6

12.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.20 RON 5.45

170.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.79 RON 8.16

-8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.61 RON 7.34

44.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.33 RON 10.59

-11.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.01 RON 4.57

53.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.93 RON 4.23

56.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.03 RON 4.69

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.93 RON 4.25

-48.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.57 RON 29.86

-33.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.99 RON 36.31

132.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.16 RON 5.29

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.99 RON 9.03

33.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.68 RON 3.08

108.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$20.19 RON 91.8

-42.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.96 RON 4.35

230.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.82 RON 3.71

25.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$9.17 RON 41.69

51.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.69 RON 7.68

-20.71%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$28.1K RON 127.7K

-1.04%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$26.8K RON 122.1K

24.33%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$158 RON 719

-22.17%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$8.77 RON 39.86

57.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$9.70 RON 44.09

88.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$41.91 RON 191

44.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$19.05 RON 86.6

-9.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$8.24 RON 37.45

7.65%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$478 RON 2,175

43.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$10.8K RON 49.1K

46.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$70.8 RON 322

-16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$40.42 RON 184

-14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$87.0 RON 395

32.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$98.2 RON 446

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$389 RON 1,770

59.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$296 RON 1,345

50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$595 RON 2,706

241.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$441 RON 2,003

239.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,875 RON 8,523

84.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,245 RON 5,661

103.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Buzias: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $389 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Buzias. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $234 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 14%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,664 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 75% less in Buzias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $478 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 $1,109, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.