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 $303 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $516 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $729 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 307% more expensive than Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Cox's Bazar 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.61 ৳198

187.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$12.33 ৳1,517

279.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$3.00 ৳369

194.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 ৳711

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ৳298

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$1.60 ৳197

87.50%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$0.36 ৳44.25

105.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.12 ৳15.12

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$0.79 ৳97.0

186.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$0.50 ৳61.6

268.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$0.48 ৳59.5

366.67%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$1.05 ৳129

120.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$8.87 ৳1,092

121.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$1.62 ৳199

125.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$6.97 ৳858

87.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$2.27 ৳280

49.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.00 ৳123

64.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$1.63 ৳201

47.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$0.31 ৳38.70

554.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$0.17 ৳20.57

817.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$0.39 ৳47.60

284.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$0.40 ৳49.42

155.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.27 ৳33.40

81.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.44 ৳793

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳309

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ৳414

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.89 ৳232

135.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$0.20 ৳24.55

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

$10.17 ৳1,251

12.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$0.28 ৳34.19

1014.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$0.36 ৳43.90

177.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$2.51 ৳309

461.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$1.04 ৳128

29.81%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$32.7K ৳4.0M

-16.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.8K ৳4.2M

-2.60%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$12.14 ৳1,494

929.49%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$2.64 ৳325

414.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$11.27 ৳1,387

64.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$16.16 ৳1,989

280.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$11.71 ৳1,441

43.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$2.39 ৳294

284.52%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$24.31 ৳2,991

2772.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$1,376 ৳169.3K

1033.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$20.19 ৳2,484

186.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$18.10 ৳2,227

94.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$33.00 ৳4,060

242.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$34.09 ৳4,194

153.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$68.6 ৳8,439

797.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$41.65 ৳5,125

970.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$305 ৳37.5K

571.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$97.6 ৳12.0K

1429.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$602 ৳74.1K

527.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

$392 ৳48.2K

575.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$288 ৳35.4K

81.86%

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: April 27, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $68.6 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 82% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 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 307% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $303 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 82% more on average, 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: $616 in Phuket versus $68.6 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 13% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $24.31 in Cox's Bazar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $303 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 307% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.