Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $375 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$375

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bahir Dar and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bahir Dar and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $375 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Bahir Dar $375
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $569 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Bahir Dar $569
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $763 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Bahir Dar $763
Phuket $2,867

Bahir Dar is about 69% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bahir Dar and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Bahir Dar 72% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ETB 564

$4.58 ฿153

-23.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

Cappuccino

$0.99 ETB 159

$2.72 ฿91.0

-63.60%

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

$0.41 ETB 66.0

$0.94 ฿31.25

-56.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ETB 83.9

$0.49 ฿16.39

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ETB 116

$2.59 ฿86.6

-72.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ETB 323

$3.83 ฿128

-47.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 ETB 158

$1.74 ฿58.1

-43.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ETB 157

$1.43 ฿47.82

-31.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.53 ฿51.0

-32.68%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 276

$2.17 ฿72.7

-20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 ETB 1,612

$11.14 ฿372

-9.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 ETB 468

$2.95 ฿98.5

-1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.68 ฿56.1

-39.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ETB 329

$2.30 ฿76.8

-10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ETB 133

$2.13 ฿71.3

-61.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$1.53 ฿51.1

-58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.36 ฿45.55

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.12 ฿37.44

-8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ETB 82.2

$0.55 ฿18.24

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$3.90 ETB 626

$18.19 ฿608

-78.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ETB 134

$1.74 ฿58.2

-51.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ETB 316

$2.79 ฿93.3

-29.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ETB 76.9

$1.01 ฿33.79

-52.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 324

$3.83 ฿128

-47.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.49 ฿49.85

-31.54%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

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

$102 ETB 16.4K

$99.4 ฿3,321

2.54%

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

$9.82 ETB 1,576

$11.28 ฿377

-12.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ETB 8,167

$52.3 ฿1,747

-2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.5 ETB 9,711

$10.85 ฿362

457.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ETB 947

$7.57 ฿253

-22.06%

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

$49.85 ETB 8,001

$558 ฿18.7K

-91.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 ETB 8,032

$62.9 ฿2,102

-20.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,988 ETB 319.1K

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-42.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ETB 237.0K

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-40.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.1K

$493 ฿16.5K

-59.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 146% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

19:17 7:17 PM

23:17 11:17 PM

4 h ahead of Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

79,308

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 160 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahir Dar Phuket 6,690 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Bahir Dar
Phuket

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

Bahir Dar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 222% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $562 per month in Bahir Dar and $1,811 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $375 in Bahir Dar and $1,207 in Phuket. That's a gap of about 222%.

Groceries cost about 116% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $375, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bahir Dar costs $375 versus $1,207 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.