Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quatre Bornes

For one person, living is cheaper in Quatre Bornes: $803 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Quatre Bornes, Mauritius
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Quatre Bornes
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$803
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Quatre Bornes

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 Quatre Bornes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $803 in Quatre Bornes.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Quatre Bornes $803

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,274 in Quatre Bornes.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Quatre Bornes $1,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,746 in Quatre Bornes.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Quatre Bornes $1,746

Living in Phuket is roughly 59% more expensive than in Quatre Bornes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Quatre Bornes 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$4.56 MUR 215
-1.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$20.89 MUR 984
55.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$6.28 MUR 296
40.29%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.42 MUR 114
16.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.83 MUR 38.90
4.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.52 MUR 24.38
-5.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$2.69 MUR 127
-4.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.45 MUR 163
6.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.24 MUR 58.6
33.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$0.50 MUR 23.34
192.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.15 MUR 54.0
30.43%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.97 MUR 92.9
6.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$3.02 MUR 143
531.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$3.71 MUR 175
-11.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$8.50 MUR 401
28.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$2.78 MUR 131
5.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.70 MUR 127
-37.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.44 MUR 68.0
56.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$3.05 MUR 144
-31.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.96 MUR 45.26
57.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$0.96 MUR 45.39
43.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.75 MUR 35.14
42.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.90 MUR 42.24
-42.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$5.84 MUR 275
-28.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$8.33 MUR 393
125.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.69 MUR 79.5
7.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.32 MUR 109
22.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.77 MUR 36.27
88.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$4.37 MUR 206
-30.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$3.15 MUR 148
-67.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$20.89 MUR 984
-82.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.37 MUR 64.6
7.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$19.2K MUR 907.2K
39.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$27.3K MUR 1.3M
-2.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$31.40 MUR 1,480
206.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$10.50 MUR 495
7.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$28.99 MUR 1,366
-41.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$28.91 MUR 1,362
132.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$8.38 MUR 395
28.04%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$6.33 MUR 298
18.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$121 MUR 5,701
293.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$7,839 MUR 369.4K
43.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$77.0 MUR 3,629
-19.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$75.7 MUR 3,567
-62.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$119 MUR 5,616
-20.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$77.6 MUR 3,657
10.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$322 MUR 15.2K
122.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$218 MUR 10.3K
125.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$657 MUR 30.9K
193.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$436 MUR 20.5K
228.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$1,129 MUR 53.2K
269.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$527 MUR 24.8K
-4.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.67
-16.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Quatre Bornes
$218 55.7% $273
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Quatre Bornes
$182 31.5% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Quatre Bornes
$71 43% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Quatre Bornes
$157 29% $35
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Quatre Bornes
$110 9.5% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Quatre Bornes
$42 49.5% $41
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Quatre Bornes
$23 * 67.2% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $322 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: $32 in Phuket vs $21 in Quatre Bornes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $182 per month, with Quatre Bornes cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇺 Quatre Bornes
🕒 Local time
19:13 7:13 PM
16:13 4:13 PM
3 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
81,773
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

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

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 47.13 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.62 MUR (100 MUR = 1.9 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Quatre Bornes 5,460 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Quatre Bornes

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 Quatre Bornes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quatre Bornes cheaper than Phuket?
Quatre Bornes is about 37% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference 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 Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $322 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 $476 in Phuket versus $121 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 $21 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Quatre Bornes?
At $803 in Quatre Bornes versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 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 it better to live in Phuket or in Quatre Bornes?
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 safer, Phuket or Quatre Bornes?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Quatre Bornes are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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