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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $798 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,270 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Yangon (Rangoon) costs roughly 37% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 MMK 4,537

$4.70 ฿153

-53.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.80 MMK 37.3K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-60.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 MMK 11.5K

$8.43 ฿275

-35.11%

Cappuccino

$2.09 MMK 4,366

$2.93 ฿95.6

-28.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 MMK 1,652

$0.69 ฿22.40

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MMK 1,268

$0.37 ฿11.99

64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 MMK 2,059

$2.41 ฿78.6

-59.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 MMK 4,246

$3.72 ฿122

-45.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MMK 3,824

$2.23 ฿72.9

-17.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MMK 2,010

$1.83 ฿59.8

-47.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MMK 3,045

$2.17 ฿70.8

-33.18%

Eggs

$1.41 MMK 2,945

$2.21 ฿72.3

-36.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 MMK 16.3K

$19.74 ฿645

-60.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 MMK 14.4K

$3.63 ฿119

90.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 MMK 23.2K

$13.53 ฿442

-18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 MMK 11.6K

$3.28 ฿107

68.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 MMK 2,312

$1.61 ฿52.6

-31.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 MMK 5,899

$2.41 ฿78.6

17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 MMK 6,683

$2.08 ฿68.1

53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 MMK 5,454

$1.53 ฿49.93

70.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 MMK 3,245

$1.48 ฿48.36

4.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MMK 2,822

$0.99 ฿32.29

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 MMK 696

$0.51 ฿16.67

-35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.60 MMK 3,340

$4.41 ฿144

-63.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 MMK 19.2K

$19.38 ฿633

-52.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MMK 1,930

$1.78 ฿58.1

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MMK 2,503

$2.71 ฿88.6

-55.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 MMK 414

$1.37 ฿44.79

-85.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 MMK 20.6K

$11.39 ฿372

-13.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 MMK 2,280

$3.02 ฿98.6

-63.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 MMK 1,903

$0.99 ฿32.48

-8.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 MMK 7,381

$14.10 ฿461

-74.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$10.76 MMK 22.5K

$1.36 ฿44.51

691.18%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.6K MMK 80.8M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

36.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$54.2K MMK 113.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

64.84%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$54.4 MMK 113.8K

$122 ฿3,975

-55.32%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.04 MMK 23.1K

$13.57 ฿443

-18.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.70 MMK 51.7K

$18.31 ฿598

34.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.12 MMK 58.9K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-53.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.64 MMK 24.4K

$17.14 ฿560

-32.09%

Cinema Ticket

$2.67 MMK 5,597

$8.69 ฿284

-69.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$322 MMK 674.5K

$693 ฿22.6K

-53.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K MMK 32.8M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 MMK 166.4K

$59.5 ฿1,944

33.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.7 MMK 135.5K

$34.77 ฿1,136

86.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 MMK 201.5K

$115 ฿3,743

-16.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 MMK 297.6K

$83.3 ฿2,720

70.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 MMK 1.1M

$613 ฿20.0K

-13.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 MMK 377.7K

$437 ฿14.3K

-58.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 MMK 2.3M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-46.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 MMK 1.8M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-43.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,120 MMK 4.4M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-43.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 MMK 1.9M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-64.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 MMK 595.4K

$508 ฿16.6K

-44.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

106.38%

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

Last update for Yangon (Rangoon): May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $533 in Yangon (Rangoon) and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 79% 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: $18.00 in Yangon (Rangoon) vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $293 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

Yangon (Rangoon) vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yangon (Rangoon) is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 79% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $533 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $322 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $798 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $1,265 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.

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.

Safety-wise, Yangon (Rangoon) and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Yangon (Rangoon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.