😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $853 in Quatre Bornes.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,341 in Quatre Bornes.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,829 in Quatre Bornes.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Quatre Bornes36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$3.74MUR 177
25.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$22.24MUR 1,051
104.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$5.61MUR 265
50.27%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$2.56MUR 121
14.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.73MUR 34.65
-5.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.32MUR 15.09
15.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.23MUR 105
8.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.38MUR 160
10.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.36MUR 64.2
63.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$0.56MUR 26.61
226.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.27MUR 59.9
70.87%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.05MUR 96.8
7.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$3.09MUR 146
538.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$3.87MUR 183
-6.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$8.64MUR 408
56.60%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.75MUR 82.5
87.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.73MUR 81.7
-6.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.51MUR 71.4
59.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.71MUR 128
-23.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.98MUR 46.19
56.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.01MUR 47.53
46.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.84MUR 39.56
17.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.79MUR 37.52
-35.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$6.22MUR 294
-29.10%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$8.67MUR 409
123.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.85MUR 39.98
109.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.45MUR 68.4
86.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.74MUR 34.94
85.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$4.33MUR 205
-30.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$2.73MUR 129
-63.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$20.09MUR 949
-29.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.39MUR 65.8
-2.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$20.1KMUR 951.9K
39.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.7KMUR 1.4M
14.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$43.36MUR 2,049
180.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$11.13MUR 526
21.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$31.77MUR 1,501
-42.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$30.08MUR 1,421
100.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$8.58MUR 406
99.77%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$5.96MUR 282
45.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$125MUR 5,887
456.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$3,898MUR 184.2K
302.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$86.5MUR 4,088
-31.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$80.0MUR 3,779
-56.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$130MUR 6,134
-11.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$94.3MUR 4,456
-11.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$352MUR 16.6K
74.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$262MUR 12.4K
66.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$592MUR 28.0K
253.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$504MUR 23.8K
199.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$1,144MUR 54.1K
227.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$515MUR 24.4K
-1.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.46
-17.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Quatre Bornes: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $352 in Quatre Bornes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Quatre Bornes pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Quatre Bornes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $168 per month, with Quatre Bornes 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 Quatre Bornes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quatre Bornes cheaper than Phuket?
Quatre Bornes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Quatre Bornes?
On paper, Quatre Bornes earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Quatre Bornes?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $352 in Quatre Bornes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $125 in Quatre Bornes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Quatre Bornes?
Dining out is cheaper in Quatre Bornes – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Quatre Bornes?
At $853 in Quatre Bornes versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quatre Bornes but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Quatre Bornes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Quatre Bornes more family-friendly?
For families, Quatre Bornes is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Quatre Bornes?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Quatre Bornes 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Quatre Bornes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.