Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quatre Bornes Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quatre Bornes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $866 in Quatre Bornes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,340 in Quatre Bornes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,814 in Quatre Bornes.

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than in Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Quatre Bornes 35% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55 ฿153
$3.94 MUR 185
15.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18 ฿1,550
$21.86 MUR 1,027
111.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿297
$5.52 MUR 260
60.14%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ฿103
$2.59 MUR 122
18.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.36
$0.74 MUR 34.73
-1.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿13.37
$0.34 MUR 16.19
17.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿81.6
$2.26 MUR 106
7.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿127
$3.27 MUR 154
15.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿75.8
$1.29 MUR 60.8
75.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿60.8
$0.57 MUR 26.58
217.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$1.33 MUR 62.5
69.17%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.4
$2.12 MUR 99.5
6.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.51 ฿655
$3.09 MUR 145
531.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿122
$3.87 MUR 182
-5.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿438
$8.98 MUR 422
45.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿109
$1.80 MUR 84.7
79.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$1.72 MUR 81.0
-5.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ฿80.0
$1.50 MUR 70.7
58.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿68.0
$2.69 MUR 127
-24.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.5
$1.01 MUR 47.32
51.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
$1.01 MUR 47.63
48.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.85
$0.81 MUR 38.05
20.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.36
$0.76 MUR 35.67
-31.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
$6.01 MUR 283
-26.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 ฿615
$8.42 MUR 396
117.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.6
$0.92 MUR 43.42
102.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿90.0
$1.44 MUR 67.8
86.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 ฿47.37
$0.80 MUR 37.44
76.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿393
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿104
$4.43 MUR 208
-29.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿35.00
$2.68 MUR 126
-61.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.11 ฿474
$19.61 MUR 922
-28.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ฿44.02
$1.47 MUR 69.0
-10.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿933.8K
$20.0K MUR 942.1K
38.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ฿1.1M
$28.9K MUR 1.4M
14.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿4,110
$44.11 MUR 2,073
177.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59 ฿456
$10.88 MUR 511
24.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70 ฿628
$32.30 MUR 1,518
-42.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 ฿2,031
$30.09 MUR 1,414
101.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 ฿570
$8.92 MUR 419
90.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿305
$6.00 MUR 282
51.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 ฿23.7K
$124 MUR 5,841
468.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿530.5K
$3,957 MUR 186.0K
299.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6 ฿1,965
$85.6 MUR 4,023
-31.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 ฿1,187
$79.6 MUR 3,739
-55.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,876
$130 MUR 6,118
-11.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 ฿2,811
$95.3 MUR 4,478
-12.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ฿21.0K
$359 MUR 16.9K
74.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$445 ฿14.9K
$269 MUR 12.6K
65.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 ฿68.5K
$602 MUR 28.3K
238.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿50.1K
$496 MUR 23.3K
200.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,483 ฿116.9K
$1,162 MUR 54.6K
199.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,577 ฿86.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ฿16.8K
$526 MUR 24.7K
-4.93%
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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $359 in Quatre Bornes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quatre Bornes pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Quatre Bornes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Quatre Bornes?
On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Quatre Bornes. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $359 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 $706 in Phuket versus $124 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 in Quatre Bornes?
Dining out is cheaper in Quatre Bornes – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Quatre Bornes?
At $866 in Quatre Bornes versus $1,250 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 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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