Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and New Providence Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and New Providence

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,143 in New Providence, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $5,323 in New Providence, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $8,502 in New Providence, rent included.

Phuket is about 43% cheaper than New Providence, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while New Providence is 57% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$75.5 BSD 75.5

-94.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$151 BSD 151

-78.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.54 BSD 5.54

-47.65%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.06 BSD 2.06

-9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$5.00 BSD 5.00

-70.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$4.95 BSD 4.95

-68.69%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$10.04 BSD 10.04

-79.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$19.75 BSD 19.75

-0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.92 BSD 9.92

-65.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$19.69 BSD 19.69

-42.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.31 BSD 4.31

-30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$6.02 BSD 6.02

-72.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$6.88 BSD 6.88

-67.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$3.94 BSD 3.94

-45.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$4.03 BSD 4.03

-62.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.93 BSD 2.93

-54.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$3.06 BSD 3.06

-63.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$3.06 BSD 3.06

-82.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$15.15 BSD 15.15

-71.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$24.65 BSD 24.65

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$3.87 BSD 3.87

-54.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.89 BSD 3.89

-28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

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

$11.33 ฿378

$39.52 BSD 39.52

-71.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$101 BSD 101

-82.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$75.0 BSD 75.0

-30.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$15.27 BSD 15.27

-49.64%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$1,477 BSD 1,477

-62.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$14.9K BSD 14.9K

-22.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,474 BSD 1,474

-49.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$713 BSD 713

-32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$4,520 BSD 4,520

-72.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for New Providence: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,474 in New Providence. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $151 in New Providence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $547 – making Phuket 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 New Providence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Providence costs about 74% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $3,215 in New Providence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $2,143 in New Providence. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $1,477 in New Providence. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in New Providence at $2,143. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Providence it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,143 in New Providence. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Providence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.