Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,149 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,329 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,509 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 149% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bakersfield, CA is 128% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.27 $19.27

$4.66 ฿154

313.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 $65.6

$32.22 ฿1,065

103.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$8.68 ฿287

58.64%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$2.90 ฿95.8

98.62%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$0.84 ฿27.89

207.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.49 ฿16.16

304.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.48 ฿82.0

145.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.73 ฿123

57.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.89 ฿62.3

-39.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.41 ฿46.54

186.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$1.62 ฿53.6

215.43%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$2.24 ฿74.1

47.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$19.84 ฿656

-34.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 $12.91

$3.48 ฿115

270.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 $15.60

$11.37 ฿376

37.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.90 ฿95.8

42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.72 ฿57.0

15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.27 ฿75.1

70.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.13 ฿70.4

84.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.47 ฿48.72

48.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.42 ฿46.92

63.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.10 ฿36.25

84.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.60 ฿19.76

296.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 $10.15

$4.31 ฿142

135.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.64 $17.64

$18.60 ฿615

-5.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.80 ฿59.5

3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.97 ฿98.0

67.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.25 ฿74.2

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 $56.5

$23.49 ฿776

140.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.10 ฿102

-4.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.08 ฿35.56

87.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.43 ฿47.16

0.70%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

30.91%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-0.33%

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

$398 $398

$105 ฿3,462

279.59%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$11.39 ฿376

415.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$17.54 ฿580

315.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.22 $39.22

$54.3 ฿1,795

-27.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.46 $25.46

$11.44 ฿378

122.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$7.78 ฿257

95.50%

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

$1,523 $1,523

$576 ฿19.0K

164.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 $61.6

$63.6 ฿2,103

-3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.44 $48.44

$29.10 ฿961

66.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$96.2 ฿3,179

4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$90.0 ฿2,974

36.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 $1,740

$733 ฿24.2K

137.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 $1,585

$501 ฿16.5K

216.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 $2,344

$2,126 ฿70.2K

10.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 $2,462

$1,252 ฿41.4K

96.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,448 $2,448

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-30.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 $2,523

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-3.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,623 $3,623

$508 ฿16.8K

613.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.57

14.18%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,740 in Bakersfield, CA and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bakersfield, CA pays 614% 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: $66.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $275 per month, with Phuket 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

Bakersfield, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 614% higher in Bakersfield, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,740 in Bakersfield, CA versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $66.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,149 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,149 in Bakersfield, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bakersfield, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bakersfield, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bakersfield, CA 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.