Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yangon (Rangoon) Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Yangon (Rangoon)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $798 in Yangon (Rangoon).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,503 in Yangon (Rangoon).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,209 in Yangon (Rangoon).

Living in Phuket is roughly 57% more expensive than in Yangon (Rangoon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Yangon (Rangoon) 40% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55 ฿153
$2.13 MMK 4,459
113.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18 ฿1,553
$18.00 MMK 37.7K
156.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿297
$5.63 MMK 11.8K
57.02%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ฿103
$2.09 MMK 4,371
46.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.40
$0.74 MMK 1,549
-1.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿13.39
$0.59 MMK 1,237
-32.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿81.8
$0.98 MMK 2,042
147.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿127
$1.98 MMK 4,143
90.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿76.0
$1.91 MMK 3,991
18.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$1.00 MMK 2,085
81.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.48 MMK 3,102
52.03%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.5
$1.43 MMK 2,995
57.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.51 ฿656
$7.78 MMK 16.3K
150.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿123
$6.70 MMK 14.0K
-45.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿439
$10.95 MMK 22.9K
19.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿109
$5.75 MMK 12.0K
-43.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.4
$1.10 MMK 2,306
47.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ฿80.1
$2.74 MMK 5,729
-13.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿68.1
$3.29 MMK 6,896
-38.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.6
$2.47 MMK 5,175
-38.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.55 MMK 3,247
-3.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.91
$1.30 MMK 2,714
-24.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.39
$0.33 MMK 699
57.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
$1.69 MMK 3,537
162.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 ฿616
$9.06 MMK 19.0K
102.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.7
$0.97 MMK 2,033
91.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿90.1
$1.16 MMK 2,433
131.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 ฿47.46
$0.20 MMK 413
605.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿393
$9.61 MMK 20.1K
21.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿105
$1.12 MMK 2,343
177.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿35.06
$0.95 MMK 1,999
9.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.11 ฿474
$3.47 MMK 7,269
306.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ฿44.10
$10.42 MMK 21.8K
-87.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿935.4K
$37.7K MMK 78.9M
-26.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ฿1.1M
$54.3K MMK 113.6M
-38.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿4,118
$55.7 MMK 116.5K
119.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59 ฿457
$11.06 MMK 23.1K
22.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70 ฿629
$25.31 MMK 53.0K
-26.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 ฿2,034
$28.87 MMK 60.4K
109.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 ฿571
$11.62 MMK 24.3K
46.13%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿305
$2.75 MMK 5,761
229.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 ฿23.8K
$324 MMK 678.3K
118.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿531.5K
$15.6K MMK 32.7M
1.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6 ฿1,969
$79.3 MMK 166.1K
-26.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 ฿1,189
$64.4 MMK 134.9K
-45.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,883
$96.6 MMK 202.2K
19.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 ฿2,816
$144 MMK 301.5K
-41.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ฿21.0K
$548 MMK 1.1M
14.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$445 ฿15.0K
$182 MMK 380.9K
144.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 ฿68.6K
$1,102 MMK 2.3M
85.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿50.2K
$850 MMK 1.8M
75.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,483 ฿117.1K
$2,158 MMK 4.5M
61.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,577 ฿86.7K
$944 MMK 2.0M
172.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Yangon (Rangoon)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ฿16.8K
$283 MMK 591.8K
76.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
11
-51.55%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yangon (Rangoon): July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $548 in Yangon (Rangoon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 77% 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 $18.00 in Yangon (Rangoon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $238 per month, with Yangon (Rangoon) 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 Yangon (Rangoon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yangon (Rangoon) cheaper than Phuket?
Yangon (Rangoon) is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Yangon (Rangoon)?
Average pay runs 77% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Yangon (Rangoon)?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $548 in Yangon (Rangoon). 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 $324 in Yangon (Rangoon). Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Yangon (Rangoon)?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Yangon (Rangoon)?
At $798 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yangon (Rangoon) but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Yangon (Rangoon) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Yangon (Rangoon) more family-friendly?
For families, Yangon (Rangoon) 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 Yangon (Rangoon)?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Yangon (Rangoon) 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 Yangon (Rangoon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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