😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $327 in Noakhali.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $559 in Noakhali.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $790 in Noakhali.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 286% more expensive than in Noakhali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Noakhali75% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$2.51৳309
78.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,523
$12.94৳1,597
252.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$5.02৳620
74.50%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.06৳501
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.86৳600
-
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.1
$2.30৳284
29.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.93
$0.31৳38.82
122.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.05
$0.19৳23.60
105.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.5
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.7
$0.68৳84.3
216.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$0.70৳86.7
160.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.0
$0.58৳72.0
275.86%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.1
$1.22৳151
84.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿668
$6.99৳863
186.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$1.36৳167
166.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿453
$6.62৳817
104.83%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$2.03৳251
59.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$0.85৳105
92.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.9
$2.39৳295
-2.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.2
$0.34৳42.53
508.82%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$0.32৳40.10
384.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.60
$0.51৳63.3
186.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.89
$0.35৳43.24
180.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.11
$0.24৳29.57
100.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$12.04৳1,486
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.85৳475
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.12৳878
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$3.04৳375
43.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.0
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.7
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.33
$0.20৳24.64
610.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿387
$10.15৳1,253
13.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$1.19৳147
166.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.46
$0.40৳49.16
157.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿464
$2.47৳305
462.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.89
$0.97৳119
38.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿928.2K
$29.0K৳3.6M
-4.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$28.6K৳3.5M
16.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,110
$16.68৳2,060
637.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿460
$4.14৳510
232.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿612
$13.20৳1,630
38.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,027
$13.62৳1,681
345.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$11.79৳1,455
45.55%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$4.02৳496
120.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿23.0K
$47.02৳5,804
1362.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿527.0K
$1,944৳240.0K
711.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,981
$18.85৳2,327
214.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,159
$24.02৳2,965
44.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,847
$47.39৳5,850
143.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,798
$36.77৳4,539
127.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.8K
$69.8৳8,611
790.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$41.17৳5,082
983.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.9K
$162৳19.9K
1159.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿50.0K
$95.6৳11.8K
1465.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Noakhali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$411৳50.7K
20.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10.52
-49.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Noakhali: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $69.8 in Noakhali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 20% 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 $13.00 in Noakhali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $102 per month, with Noakhali 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 Noakhali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Noakhali?
Noakhali wins on cost – living expenses run 286% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Noakhali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Noakhali?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Phuket, 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 Noakhali?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $69.8 in Noakhali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Noakhali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 186% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Noakhali?
Dining out is cheaper in Noakhali – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Noakhali?
At $327 in Noakhali versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Noakhali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Noakhali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Noakhali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Noakhali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $327 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Noakhali hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Noakhali?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Noakhali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Noakhali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 286% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.