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: $891 in Bamako versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,471 in Bamako versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,051 in Bamako versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bamako 34% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 F CFA 3,879

$4.56 ฿150

49.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

$46.63 ฿1,533

-19.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 F CFA 3,561

$8.47 ฿278

-26.09%

Cappuccino

$1.90 F CFA 1,081

$3.03 ฿99.5

-37.29%

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

$0.75 F CFA 424

$0.69 ฿22.65

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 F CFA 337

$0.37 ฿12.03

59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

$2.49 ฿81.8

-3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

$3.66 ฿120

484.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

$2.18 ฿71.7

5.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 F CFA 2,212

$1.90 ฿62.5

104.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.3

Eggs

$6.72 F CFA 3,819

$2.22 ฿73.1

202.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

$19.99 ฿657

-10.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 F CFA 9,027

$3.66 ฿120

333.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 F CFA 7,007

$13.25 ฿436

-6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 F CFA 2,258

$3.23 ฿106

22.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 582

$1.70 ฿55.8

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 F CFA 1,643

$2.39 ฿78.7

20.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 F CFA 1,220

$2.08 ฿68.3

3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 764

$1.59 ฿52.3

-15.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 F CFA 775

$1.48 ฿48.76

-8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

$1.03 ฿33.85

-90.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

$0.52 ฿16.99

432.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$4.25 ฿140

-77.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 F CFA 860

$1.76 ฿57.8

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 F CFA 916

$2.76 ฿90.6

-41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.63 F CFA 2,630

$1.36 ฿44.73

240.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 F CFA 720

$1.04 ฿34.05

22.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 F CFA 659

$1.34 ฿44.20

-13.43%

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

$27.7K ฿909.7K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$151 F CFA 85.9K

$124 ฿4,062

22.19%

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

$13.52 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

$18.69 ฿614

205.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 F CFA 38.7K

$61.8 ฿2,032

10.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.15 F CFA 2,360

$17.25 ฿567

-75.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.70 F CFA 3,242

$9.14 ฿300

-37.64%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿521.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,955

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,153

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,789

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,763

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 F CFA 98.3K

$619 ฿20.3K

-72.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.6 F CFA 46.4K

$433 ฿14.2K

-81.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 F CFA 226.2K

$2,062 ฿67.8K

-80.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 F CFA 167.2K

$1,511 ฿49.7K

-80.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿119.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 F CFA 711.6K

$2,626 ฿86.3K

-52.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 F CFA 147.8K

$507 ฿16.7K

-48.72%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $173 in Bamako and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 95% 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 $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $293, 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 42% 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, Phuket earns 95% less. 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: $173 in Bamako versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $891 per month in Bamako versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 42% 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 $891 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 $891 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 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.