Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Banja Luka and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Banja Luka: $1,198 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $960 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

58

Cost of Living Index in Banja Luka
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Banja Luka Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Banja Luka

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,198

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Banja Luka 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 Banja Luka and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,198 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Banja Luka $1,198
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,826 per month in Banja Luka vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Banja Luka $1,826
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $2,454 per month in Banja Luka vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Banja Luka $2,454
Phuket $3,154

Banja Luka is about 6% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Banja Luka and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Banja Luka 12% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 BAM 16.67

$4.47 ฿151

112.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.53 BAM 86.8

$32.41 ฿1,094

52.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 BAM 18.72

$8.81 ฿297

21.34%

Cappuccino

$1.84 BAM 3.23

$2.83 ฿95.4

-34.98%

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

$2.55 BAM 4.47

$0.87 ฿29.42

193.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 BAM 2.96

$0.49 ฿16.66

244.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 BAM 4.13

$2.56 ฿86.3

-7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 BAM 5.90

$3.68 ฿124

-8.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 BAM 2.41

$1.66 ฿56.0

-17.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.15

$1.46 ฿49.32

-15.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 BAM 2.78

$1.50 ฿50.5

6.00%

Eggs

$2.89 BAM 5.06

$2.09 ฿70.5

38.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 BAM 17.10

$19.07 ฿643

-48.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 BAM 15.63

$3.30 ฿111

170.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 BAM 24.65

$10.91 ฿368

28.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 BAM 3.23

$2.93 ฿98.9

-37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BAM 3.44

$1.69 ฿57.0

15.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 BAM 3.88

$2.25 ฿75.8

-1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 BAM 3.78

$2.08 ฿70.1

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 BAM 1.73

$1.51 ฿51.0

-34.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 BAM 2.39

$1.38 ฿46.54

-0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 BAM 1.98

$1.07 ฿35.97

5.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.57

$0.52 ฿17.51

71.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 BAM 6.86

$4.20 ฿142

-6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 BAM 14.00

$18.79 ฿634

-57.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 BAM 1.74

$1.82 ฿61.5

-45.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BAM 2.47

$2.84 ฿95.9

-50.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 BAM 2.33

$1.45 ฿49.00

-8.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.28 BAM 79.3

$56.7 ฿1,912

-20.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 BAM 2.96

$3.02 ฿102

-44.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 BAM 1.96

$1.02 ฿34.34

9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.85 BAM 29.51

$3.69 ฿125

356.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 BAM 3.10

$1.47 ฿49.78

20.41%

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

$30.4K BAM 53.3K

$26.8K ฿903.7K

13.72%

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

$21.1K BAM 37.0K

$26.7K ฿900.8K

-20.79%

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

$163 BAM 285

$96.4 ฿3,252

68.66%

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

$16.51 BAM 28.93

$11.26 ฿380

46.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.88 BAM 64.6

$16.85 ฿569

118.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.35 BAM 63.7

$67.2 ฿2,269

-45.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.04 BAM 26.35

$10.73 ฿362

40.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 BAM 10.12

$7.50 ฿253

-22.93%

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

$283 BAM 496

$476 ฿16.1K

-40.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,604 BAM 6,314

$11.3K ฿380.1K

-68.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 BAM 144

$62.4 ฿2,105

31.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.26 BAM 63.5

$28.41 ฿959

27.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BAM 185

$94.3 ฿3,182

11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 BAM 254

$85.8 ฿2,896

68.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 BAM 763

$716 ฿24.2K

-39.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 BAM 524

$491 ฿16.6K

-39.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 BAM 1,153

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 BAM 826

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-67.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 BAM 4,951

$4,175 ฿140.9K

-32.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,912 BAM 3,349

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-37.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 BAM 1,555

$502 ฿17.0K

76.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

5.57

-20.29%

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

Last update for Banja Luka: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Banja Luka

$299 25%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 64.2% $192

Groceries & Markets

Banja Luka

$245 20.5%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 8.5% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Banja Luka

$216 18%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 42.3% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Banja Luka

$166 13.9%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 26.6% $44

Eating Out

Banja Luka

$166 13.8%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 26.6% $44

Getting Around

Banja Luka

$58 4.8%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 21.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Banja Luka

$48 4%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 71.6% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Banja Luka versus $716 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 77% higher in Banja Luka, 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 $50 in Banja Luka versus $32 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Banja Luka vs $266 in Phuket – so Banja Luka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Banja Luka

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

07:23 7:23 AM

13:23 1:23 PM

6 h ahead of Banja Luka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

138,963

79,308

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.571 USD

1 BAM = 0.511 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (KM)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BAM (1 BAM = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (1 BAM = 0.511 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Banja Luka Phuket 8,700 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Banja Luka
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

Banja Luka vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Banja Luka and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banja Luka, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $435 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Banja Luka and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,198 in Banja Luka and $1,278 in Phuket, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banja Luka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.