Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isa Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isa Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $722 in Isa Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,737 in Isa Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,753 in Isa Town, rent included.

Phuket costs about 75% more than Isa Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Isa Town are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Isa Town 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.88 BHD 2.97

-43.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$27.03 BHD 10.19

68.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.75 BHD 2.55

29.78%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$4.69 BHD 1.77

-36.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.88 BHD 0.33

-21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.26 BHD 0.10

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$6.66 BHD 2.51

-62.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.02 BHD 0.76

6.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.58 BHD 0.59

15.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$3.65 BHD 1.38

-40.27%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.64 BHD 0.99

-14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.13 BHD 4.95

52.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.55 BHD 2.47

-44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$15.99 BHD 6.02

-15.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.30 BHD 0.87

40.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.23 BHD 0.84

-26.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.28 BHD 0.86

2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.05 BHD 0.77

0.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.94 BHD 0.73

-20.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.91 BHD 0.34

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.79 BHD 0.30

-39.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

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

$1.03 BHD 0.39

37.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$13.05 BHD 4.92

-11.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$5.34 BHD 2.01

-40.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.83 BHD 0.31

61.45%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$13.4K BHD 5,054

148.94%

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

$123 ฿4,105

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

$13.77 ฿459

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$39.09 BHD 14.73

-53.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$105 BHD 39.46

-42.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$10.57 BHD 3.98

-16.08%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$7,822 BHD 2,948

101.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$40.00 BHD 15.08

48.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$13.05 BHD 4.92

165.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$78.5 BHD 29.57

46.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$105 BHD 39.57

-20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,314 BHD 495

54.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,069 BHD 403

39.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,059 BHD 399

-53.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Isa Town: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 114% higher in Isa Town, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Isa Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $247 – making Isa Town 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 Isa Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,082 in Isa Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $722 in Isa Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $27.00 in Isa Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isa Town, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Isa Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isa Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Isa Town. 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.