Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamako and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamako and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Bamako versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Bamako versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,087 in Bamako versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 27% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bamako 32% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 F CFA 3,756

$4.53 ฿153

43.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.86 F CFA 21.8K

$46.36 ฿1,562

-18.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 F CFA 3,676

$8.65 ฿291

-26.24%

Cappuccino

$1.86 F CFA 1,071

$3.09 ฿104

-39.81%

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

$0.74 F CFA 429

$0.68 ฿22.85

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 F CFA 326

$0.37 ฿12.41

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 F CFA 1,398

$2.42 ฿81.4

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$20.98 F CFA 12.1K

$3.81 ฿128

450.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 F CFA 1,310

$2.18 ฿73.4

4.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 F CFA 2,259

$1.82 ฿61.2

115.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

Eggs

$6.79 F CFA 3,914

$2.24 ฿75.3

203.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 F CFA 10.1K

$19.93 ฿671

-11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.62 F CFA 9,006

$3.64 ฿123

329.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 F CFA 7,164

$13.56 ฿457

-8.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 F CFA 2,275

$3.29 ฿111

20.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 589

$1.69 ฿56.8

-39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 F CFA 1,640

$2.33 ฿78.6

21.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,246

$2.03 ฿68.3

6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 777

$1.60 ฿53.9

-15.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 788

$1.49 ฿50.4

-8.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.11 F CFA 65.7

$1.01 ฿34.11

-89.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 F CFA 1,571

$0.48 ฿16.06

466.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.97 F CFA 557

$4.45 ฿150

-78.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 F CFA 890

$1.79 ฿60.2

-13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 F CFA 958

$2.80 ฿94.2

-40.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 F CFA 2,746

$1.42 ฿47.81

235.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 F CFA 703

$1.04 ฿35.13

17.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 F CFA 662

$1.31 ฿44.15

-12.21%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$150 F CFA 86.2K

$123 ฿4,149

21.46%

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

$13.81 ฿465

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 F CFA 33.2K

$18.52 ฿624

210.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 F CFA 39.2K

$60.4 ฿2,034

12.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.99 F CFA 2,298

$16.80 ฿566

-76.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 F CFA 3,308

$8.89 ฿299

-35.43%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 100.7K

$618 ฿20.8K

-71.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.4 F CFA 45.8K

$443 ฿14.9K

-82.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 F CFA 233.3K

$2,047 ฿69.0K

-80.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 F CFA 170.2K

$1,506 ฿50.7K

-80.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 F CFA 717.2K

$2,511 ฿84.6K

-50.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 F CFA 152.5K

$503 ฿16.9K

-47.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Bamako: July 19, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $175 in Bamako and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 90% 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: $38.00 in Bamako vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $292, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bamako vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Phuket. 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: $175 in Bamako versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Bamako versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $915 in Bamako versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $915 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bamako 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 Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.