Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cox's Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cox's Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $353 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $567 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $782 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 249% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Cox's Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.59 ৳195

177.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$12.20 ৳1,498

164.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$3.00 ৳368

197.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ৳326

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳308

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$2.01 ৳247

44.28%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.40 ৳48.50

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.12 ৳15.17

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$0.76 ৳93.0

146.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$0.47 ৳58.2

212.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.64 ৳78.0

142.19%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$1.04 ৳128

101.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$7.23 ৳887

170.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.13 ৳262

60.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$7.29 ৳895

56.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.34 ৳287

27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$0.83 ৳102

102.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.60 ৳197

38.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$0.49 ৳59.5

340.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.47 ৳57.7

223.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$0.54 ৳66.4

148.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.45 ৳54.8

151.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.30 ৳36.30

83.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.98 ৳979

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ৳320

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ৳548

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.84 ৳225

131.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.29 ৳35.73

944.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.36 ৳43.65

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$3.96 ৳486

-1.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.11 ৳136

34.23%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-18.45%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$34.4K ৳4.2M

-21.46%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$12.27 ৳1,506

735.13%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$2.59 ৳318

337.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$11.52 ৳1,413

51.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$16.14 ৳1,981

222.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$4.14 ৳508

167.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$2.31 ৳283

232.90%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$24.74 ৳3,036

2166.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$1,440 ৳176.7K

698.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$22.92 ৳2,812

175.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$18.27 ৳2,242

61.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$33.08 ৳4,059

196.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$34.76 ৳4,265

154.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$160 ৳19.7K

360.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$98.2 ৳12.0K

391.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$310 ৳38.0K

580.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$160 ৳19.6K

667.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$352 ৳43.2K

926.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$259 ৳31.8K

905.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$280 ৳34.4K

76.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.5

-51.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 76% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $107 per month, with Cox's Bazar cheaper across the board.

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 Cox's Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Cox's Bazar differ by about 249% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $353 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 157% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $353 in Cox's Bazar – a 249% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $353 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cox's Bazar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cox's Bazar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cox's Bazar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.