Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khulna

For one person, living is cheaper in Khulna: $341 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Khulna, Bangladesh
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Khulna
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$341
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Khulna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Khulna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $341 in Khulna.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Khulna $341

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $543 in Khulna.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Khulna $543

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $745 in Khulna.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Khulna $745

Living in Phuket is roughly 275% more expensive than in Khulna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Khulna 75% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$1.43 ৳178
212.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$7.38 ৳915
339.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$4.13 ৳512
113.32%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.16 ৳267
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.33 ৳784
-
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$0.75 ৳92.9
277.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.27 ৳33.34
222.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.12 ৳14.94
308.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$0.71 ৳88.4
133.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$0.44 ৳54.1
231.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.57 ৳71.0
163.16%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.13 ৳140
84.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$9.89 ৳1,225
92.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.59 ৳321
27.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$6.43 ৳797
69.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$2.34 ৳291
25.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$0.64 ৳78.7
164.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.17 ৳268
3.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$0.61 ৳75.0
240.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.30 ৳37.68
403.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$0.55 ৳68.8
150.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.65 ৳80.6
64.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.26 ৳32.03
100.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$8.28 ৳1,027
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.57 ৳319
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.96 ৳738
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.07 ৳380
36.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.29 ৳36.06
400.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$8.29 ৳1,027
583.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.58 ৳71.7
420.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.18 ৳22.59
466.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$2.79 ৳346
32.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.09 ৳135
34.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$22.2K ৳2.8M
20.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$18.6K ৳2.3M
43.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$34.32 ৳4,253
180.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$6.19 ৳768
81.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$20.08 ৳2,489
-16.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$13.65 ৳1,691
392.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$11.91 ৳1,476
-9.91%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$4.00 ৳496
87.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$15.89 ৳1,970
2895.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$1,341 ৳166.2K
739.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$27.21 ৳3,372
129.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$36.97 ৳4,582
-23.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$32.18 ৳3,987
193.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$33.74 ৳4,181
154.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$62.4 ৳7,730
1047.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$39.43 ৳4,886
1145.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$164 ৳20.3K
1076.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$84.1 ৳10.4K
1601.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Khulna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$145 ৳17.9K
246.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
10
-44.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Khulna: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Khulna
$39 92% $451
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Khulna
$115 56.7% $151
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Khulna
$61 51.3% $64
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Khulna
$59 52% $63
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Khulna
$34 71.7% $87
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Khulna
$22 73.7% $61
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Khulna
$11 84.5% $60

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $62 in Khulna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 3.5 times 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 in Phuket vs $7 in Khulna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $115 per month, with Khulna cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇩 Khulna
🕒 Local time
18:13 6:13 PM
17:13 5:13 PM
1 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
664,728
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.07 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.23 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Khulna 1,910 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Khulna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Khulna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Khulna?
Khulna wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Khulna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Khulna?
Average pay in Phuket is about 3.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Khulna?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $62 in Khulna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Khulna?
Dining out is cheaper in Khulna – a meal for two runs $7 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Khulna?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $341 in Khulna – Khulna is about 73% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Phuket or in Khulna?
At $341 in Khulna versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 budget is realistic in Khulna but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Khulna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Khulna?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Khulna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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