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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $296 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $512 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $728 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 328% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Cox's Bazar 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.59 ৳197

181.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$12.43 ৳1,536

266.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$3.02 ৳373

190.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 ৳713

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ৳300

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.66 ৳205

78.92%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.38 ৳47.57

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.13 ৳16.07

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.73 ৳89.9

194.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.47 ৳58.1

287.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.48 ৳59.8

354.17%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.01 ৳125

122.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.89 ৳1,098

124.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$1.69 ৳209

114.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.03 ৳869

92.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.29 ৳283

41.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.96 ৳119

70.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.62 ৳200

43.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.34 ৳42.48

508.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.20 ৳24.42

675.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.38 ৳47.37

284.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.41 ৳50.5

139.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.25 ৳30.83

92.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.74 ৳956

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ৳311

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ৳419

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.89 ৳233

130.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.22 ৳27.21

545.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$10.19 ৳1,260

13.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.30 ৳37.16

956.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.36 ৳44.01

186.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$2.50 ৳309

455.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.06 ৳131

26.42%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-14.67%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-2.59%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$12.45 ৳1,539

888.35%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$2.59 ৳320

431.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$11.58 ৳1,431

58.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$16.15 ৳1,995

275.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$11.93 ৳1,474

43.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.42 ৳299

266.53%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$25.10 ৳3,101

2640.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$1,356 ৳167.6K

1063.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$20.51 ৳2,534

189.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$18.26 ৳2,256

89.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$32.61 ৳4,029

253.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$33.22 ৳4,105

152.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$68.9 ৳8,511

802.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$41.82 ৳5,168

966.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$311 ৳38.4K

553.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$98.3 ৳12.1K

1421.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$354 ৳43.7K

876.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$264 ৳32.6K

858.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$287 ৳35.4K

72.10%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $68.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 72% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $106 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 328% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $296 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 72% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $68.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cox's Bazar runs roughly 14% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $25.10 in Cox's Bazar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $296 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,264 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 328% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.