Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Banda Aceh and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Banda Aceh: $318 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Phuket, Thailand
Banda Aceh
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$318
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Banda Aceh and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Banda Aceh and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $318 per month in Banda Aceh vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Banda Aceh $318
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $509 per month in Banda Aceh vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Banda Aceh $509
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $699 per month in Banda Aceh vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Banda Aceh $699
  • Phuket $3,154

Banda Aceh is about 75% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Banda Aceh and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Banda Aceh 77% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.22 Rp 40.4K
$4.47 ฿151
-50.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$6.96 Rp 126.4K
$32.41 ฿1,092
-78.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.25 Rp 59.0K
$8.81 ฿297
-63.11%
Cappuccino
$1.22 Rp 22.1K
$2.83 ฿95.3
-56.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 Rp 6,890
$0.87 ฿29.37
-56.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.21 Rp 3,799
$0.49 ฿16.64
-57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.46 Rp 44.7K
$2.56 ฿86.2
-3.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 Rp 70.3K
$3.68 ฿124
5.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 Rp 30.3K
$1.66 ฿55.9
0.60%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
$1.46 ฿49.25
-45.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.73 Rp 13.3K
$1.50 ฿50.4
-51.33%
Eggs
$1.57 Rp 28.5K
$2.09 ฿70.4
-24.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.05 Rp 146.1K
$19.07 ฿642
-57.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.43 Rp 44.1K
$3.30 ฿111
-26.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.69 Rp 121.4K
$10.91 ฿368
-38.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 Rp 39.1K
$2.93 ฿98.7
-26.62%
Banana (1kg)
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
$1.69 ฿56.9
-49.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
$2.25 ฿75.7
-61.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.82 Rp 14.8K
$2.08 ฿70.0
-60.58%
Potato (1kg)
$0.79 Rp 14.4K
$1.51 ฿50.9
-47.68%
Onion (1kg)
$3.24 Rp 58.8K
$1.38 ฿46.47
134.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.86 Rp 15.7K
$1.07 ฿35.91
-19.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,793
$0.52 ฿17.49
-17.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.08 Rp 55.9K
$4.20 ฿142
-26.67%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.79 ฿633
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.82 ฿61.4
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.84 ฿95.7
-
🚌 Getting Around
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿48.93
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$56.7 ฿1,909
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.02 ฿102
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.02 ฿34.29
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.69 ฿124
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 16.0K
$1.47 ฿49.70
-40.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$26.8K ฿902.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.7K ฿899.5K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.50 Rp 590.3K
$96.4 ฿3,247
-66.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.27 Rp 41.2K
$11.26 ฿380
-79.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.89 Rp 415.7K
$16.85 ฿568
35.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.44 Rp 171.4K
$67.2 ฿2,266
-85.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.34 Rp 242.3K
$10.73 ฿361
24.32%
Cinema Ticket
-
$7.50 ฿253
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$476 ฿16.0K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,889 Rp 34.3M
$11.3K ฿379.6K
-83.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.00 Rp 508.5K
$62.4 ฿2,102
-55.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.06 Rp 400.6K
$28.41 ฿957
-22.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.67 Rp 811.2K
$94.3 ฿3,178
-52.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$27.58 Rp 500.9K
$85.8 ฿2,892
-67.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$716 ฿24.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$491 ฿16.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,927 ฿64.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,431 ฿48.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,175 ฿140.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,045 ฿102.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Banda Aceh
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$502 ฿16.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Banda Aceh: October 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Banda Aceh
–
Phuket
$491
Groceries & Markets
Banda Aceh
–
Phuket
$266
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banda Aceh
–
Phuket
$124
Clothing & Footwear
Banda Aceh
–
Phuket
$122
Eating Out
Banda Aceh
–
Phuket
$122
Sport & Entertainment
Banda Aceh
–
Phuket
$82
Getting Around
Banda Aceh
–
Phuket
$71

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7 in Banda Aceh versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $131 vs $266 – making Banda Aceh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Banda Aceh
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
09:06 9:06 AM
09:06 9:06 AM
Same time as Banda Aceh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
223,446
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,355 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Banda Aceh Phuket 430 km
From you
  • Banda Aceh
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Banda Aceh vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banda Aceh cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 302%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $477 per month in Banda Aceh and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Banda Aceh and in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 103% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Banda Aceh or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $7 in Banda Aceh and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Banda Aceh or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $318, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Banda Aceh or in Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $318 in Banda Aceh to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Banda Aceh or Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Banda Aceh vs other spots: cost of living compared

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