Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caye Caulker Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caye Caulker

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,878 in Caye Caulker, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $2,698 in Caye Caulker, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $3,518 in Caye Caulker, rent included.

Phuket is about 33% cheaper than Caye Caulker, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Caye Caulker is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.67 BZD 17.33

-47.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$32.84 BZD 65.7

40.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.56 BZD 15.11

16.93%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.94 BZD 7.89

-22.34%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.53 BZD 3.07

-52.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.77 BZD 3.54

-77.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.01 BZD 6.02

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.43 BZD 8.86

-14.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.97 BZD 5.94

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.85 BZD 3.70

-2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.45 BZD 8.89

-49.44%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$4.19 BZD 8.38

-46.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.15 BZD 22.30

74.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.82 BZD 15.63

-53.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.18 BZD 26.36

-0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$8.09 BZD 16.19

-60.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.13 BZD 2.26

43.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.34 BZD 2.68

77.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$2.87 BZD 5.75

-29.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$5.45 BZD 10.90

-71.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$4.54 BZD 9.08

-66.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$3.21 BZD 6.42

-69.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.71 BZD 3.42

-69.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.46 BZD 8.92

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$22.62 BZD 45.25

-19.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.28 BZD 4.56

-18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.44 BZD 4.89

9.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$4.95 BZD 9.91

-71.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$22.86 BZD 45.72

-48.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.53 BZD 7.07

-11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$3.05 BZD 6.09

-65.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$4.88 BZD 9.76

189.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$3.05 BZD 6.11

-57.05%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$10.7K BZD 21.4K

159.58%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.4K BZD 42.9K

54.91%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$197 BZD 394

-37.83%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$35.15 BZD 70.3

-61.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$74.9 BZD 150

-75.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$35.59 BZD 71.2

69.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$14.13 BZD 28.27

20.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.91 BZD 23.83

-23.85%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$74.8 BZD 150

-21.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$59.6 BZD 119

-40.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$149 BZD 299

-22.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$49.51 BZD 99.0

69.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$986 BZD 1,973

-36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$751 BZD 1,502

-40.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$758 BZD 1,517

169.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,250 BZD 2,500

19.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$2,026 BZD 4,052

-75.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Caye Caulker: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $986 in Caye Caulker. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 305% higher in Caye Caulker, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in Caye Caulker. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $382 in Caye Caulker – so Phuket 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 Caye Caulker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caye Caulker costs about 50% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $2,817 in Caye Caulker. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $1,878 in Caye Caulker. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $33.00 in Caye Caulker. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Caye Caulker at $1,878. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caye Caulker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,878 in Caye Caulker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caye Caulker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.