Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chittagong Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chittagong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $358 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $601 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $844 in Chittagong, rent included.

Phuket costs about 253% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$1.65 ৳203

184.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$14.96 ৳1,835

203.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$7.20 ৳883

17.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 ৳722

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ৳512

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.63 ৳200

79.75%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.36 ৳44.03

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.14 ৳16.60

164.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.78 ৳95.7

185.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.57 ৳70.4

221.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.65 ৳79.2

233.85%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.22 ৳149

81.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.28 ৳1,139

112.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.60 ৳197

126.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.25 ৳889

86.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.24 ৳275

46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.96 ৳118

67.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.10 ৳258

14.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.80 ৳97.7

160.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.45 ৳54.9

240.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.89 ৳109

66.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.41 ৳49.79

141.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.25 ৳30.41

104.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.59 ৳1,053

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ৳102

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ৳179

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.89 ৳354

52.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.16 ৳20.03

756.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$4.12 ৳505

176.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.79 ৳97.1

282.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.43 ৳52.1

130.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.50 ৳306

464.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.01 ৳123

34.65%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-14.69%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-4.15%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$22.78 ৳2,794

434.24%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$5.77 ৳708

135.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$13.20 ৳1,619

38.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$15.43 ৳1,892

290.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$11.26 ৳1,381

52.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.35 ৳410

159.40%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$29.33 ৳3,597

2264.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$1,343 ৳164.7K

1068.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$20.49 ৳2,513

190.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$18.22 ৳2,235

90.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$52.0 ৳6,382

120.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$33.34 ৳4,089

149.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$131 ৳16.0K

369.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$59.5 ৳7,294

635.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$243 ৳29.8K

763.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$148 ৳18.2K

919.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$805 ৳98.8K

365.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$462 ৳56.7K

466.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$264 ৳32.4K

92.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.67

-54.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $131 in Chittagong. 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 93% higher in Phuket, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $116 – making Chittagong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chittagong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $358 in Chittagong – roughly 253% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $537 in Chittagong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chittagong, 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $358 in Chittagong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 176% less in Chittagong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chittagong, where all-in costs run around $358, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Chittagong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $358 in Chittagong to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chittagong. 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.