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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $354 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $611 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $868 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

$4.55 ฿153

$1.62 ৳200

180.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$14.86 ৳1,832

210.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.23 ৳891

22.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 ৳720

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳515

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.68 ৳208

82.14%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.39 ৳47.50

87.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.17 ৳20.72

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.75 ৳91.9

201.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.57 ৳70.6

217.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.64 ৳79.3

251.56%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.18 ৳145

90.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.04 ৳1,114

115.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$1.68 ৳207

117.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.44 ৳917

75.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.18 ৳269

48.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.95 ৳117

70.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.06 ৳254

15.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.86 ৳106

136.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.44 ৳54.1

247.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.85 ৳104

76.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.37 ৳46.01

164.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.27 ৳33.54

92.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.45 ৳1,042

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ৳104

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ৳187

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.90 ৳357

53.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.14 ৳17.09

907.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$4.08 ৳504

186.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.86 ৳105

261.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.43 ৳52.4

141.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.50 ৳308

464.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.00 ৳124

31.00%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$33.2K ৳4.1M

-16.17%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.2K ৳4.2M

-2.76%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$23.04 ৳2,841

431.42%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$5.60 ৳691

142.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$12.98 ৳1,601

44.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$15.36 ৳1,894

293.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$11.32 ৳1,395

50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.27 ৳403

177.37%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$29.29 ৳3,612

2311.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,342 ৳165.5K

1077.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$20.70 ৳2,552

182.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$18.72 ৳2,308

88.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$51.1 ৳6,295

126.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$33.32 ৳4,108

151.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$129 ৳15.9K

385.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$59.5 ৳7,341

647.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$250 ৳30.9K

714.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$149 ৳18.4K

899.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$794 ৳97.8K

338.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$473 ৳58.4K

444.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$282 ৳34.8K

77.09%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $129 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 77% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $115 – 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: $1,250 in Phuket, $354 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $531 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $354 in Chittagong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 187% 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 $354, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $354 in Chittagong to $1,250 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.