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: $3,085 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,415 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,746 in Bakersfield, CA versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 147% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bakersfield, CA is 131% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$4.55 ฿153

446.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 $67.3

$46.18 ฿1,553

45.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.70 $12.70

$8.84 ฿297

43.67%

Cappuccino

$5.69 $5.69

$3.06 ฿103

85.95%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$0.73 ฿24.40

261.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.40 ฿13.39

392.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 $5.66

$2.43 ฿81.8

132.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.78 ฿127

35.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.26 ฿76.0

-55.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.81 ฿60.9

107.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$2.25 ฿75.8

155.56%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$2.25 ฿75.5

29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$19.51 ฿656

-37.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.59 $15.59

$3.65 ฿123

327.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$13.05 ฿439

27.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$3.23 ฿109

33.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.62 ฿54.4

6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.38 ฿80.1

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.03 ฿68.1

167.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.53 ฿51.6

21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.50 ฿50.5

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.98 ฿32.91

168.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$0.52 ฿17.39

446.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.56 $10.56

$4.44 ฿149

137.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 $18.35

$18.32 ฿616

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.86 ฿62.7

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.68 ฿90.1

69.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.41 ฿47.46

68.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 $57.7

$11.70 ฿393

393.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.11 ฿105

-4.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.04 ฿35.06

92.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.35 $29.35

$14.11 ฿474

108.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.31 ฿44.10

-3.05%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-15.05%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-20.65%

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

$346 $346

$122 ฿4,118

182.60%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$13.59 ฿457

302.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$18.70 ฿629

276.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.91 $36.91

$60.5 ฿2,034

-38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.22 $25.22

$16.98 ฿571

48.53%

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 $15.12

$9.07 ฿305

66.70%

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

$1,472 $1,472

$706 ฿23.8K

108.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

50.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.85 $47.85

$58.6 ฿1,969

-18.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.04 $41.04

$35.36 ฿1,189

16.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 $92.7

$115 ฿3,883

-19.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$83.7 ฿2,816

108.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$626 ฿21.0K

200.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 $1,469

$445 ฿15.0K

229.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,433 $2,433

$2,040 ฿68.6K

19.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,429 $2,429

$1,492 ฿50.2K

62.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 $2,463

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-29.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,435 $2,435

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-5.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,649 $3,649

$500 ฿16.8K

630.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

5.33

23.08%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bakersfield, CA pays 630% 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: $67.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $289 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 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 630% 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: $1,882 in Bakersfield, CA versus $626 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 $46.00 versus $67.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,085 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,085 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 147% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.