Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Bali vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,121 per month in Bali vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,978 per month in Bali vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Bali costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bali and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Bali 8% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 Rp 49.0K

$4.41 ฿147

-37.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.12 Rp 534.6K

$32.26 ฿1,073

-6.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 Rp 84.8K

$8.93 ฿297

-46.47%

Cappuccino

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

$2.90 ฿96.3

-23.45%

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

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$0.88 ฿29.27

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

$0.48 ฿16.00

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 Rp 45.1K

$2.35 ฿78.2

8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 Rp 64.1K

$3.72 ฿124

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 Rp 25.9K

$1.87 ฿62.0

-21.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$1.47 ฿48.75

50.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

$1.55 ฿51.6

-27.74%

Eggs

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

$2.10 ฿69.9

-3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.93 Rp 300.4K

$19.59 ฿651

-13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 67.8K

$3.42 ฿114

11.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 Rp 210.5K

$11.38 ฿378

4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 Rp 62.1K

$2.98 ฿99.2

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

$1.68 ฿56.0

-11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$2.21 ฿73.5

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 32.8K

$2.16 ฿71.9

-14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.3K

$1.52 ฿50.7

19.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

$1.34 ฿44.49

75.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

$1.13 ฿37.53

-16.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,665

$0.55 ฿18.17

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$4.26 ฿142

-50.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.02 Rp 390.9K

$19.09 ฿635

15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.78 ฿59.2

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 Rp 51.6K

$2.78 ฿92.5

4.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,817

$2.23 ฿74.1

-87.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.14 Rp 144.4K

$22.74 ฿756

-64.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,557

$3.03 ฿101

-84.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,234

$1.02 ฿34.02

-54.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 Rp 101.0K

$3.89 ฿129

46.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$1.49 ฿49.57

-48.32%

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

$24.4K Rp 432.6M

$26.6K ฿883.8K

-8.30%

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

$31.1K Rp 552.8M

$27.0K ฿898.7K

15.23%

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

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

$102 ฿3,407

-20.67%

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

$6.60 Rp 117.2K

$11.33 ฿377

-41.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.65 Rp 331.0K

$17.40 ฿578

7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.53 Rp 843.6K

$52.1 ฿1,732

-8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.28 Rp 271.3K

$11.07 ฿368

38.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 Rp 66.9K

$7.69 ฿256

-50.98%

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

$436 Rp 7.7M

$561 ฿18.6K

-22.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,380 Rp 95.5M

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-53.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.93 Rp 797.4K

$63.0 ฿2,096

-28.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 Rp 597.9K

$29.52 ฿982

14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$98.0 ฿3,259

-20.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$88.5 ฿2,943

-12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 Rp 17.8M

$738 ฿24.5K

35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 Rp 10.5M

$482 ฿16.0K

22.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 Rp 56.0M

$2,107 ฿70.0K

49.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 Rp 27.3M

$1,226 ฿40.8K

25.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,456 Rp 43.6M

$3,617 ฿120.3K

-32.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 Rp 35.1M

$2,603 ฿86.5K

-24.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$494 ฿16.4K

-54.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

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

Last update for Bali: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,001 in Bali versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 121% higher in Phuket, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bali versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $280 in Bali vs $274 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bali vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 3% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Bali and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bali and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Bali and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Bali at $1,265. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,265 in Bali. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.