🙂A single person spends $611 per month in Banjarmasin vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $949 per month in Banjarmasin vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,287 per month in Banjarmasin vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Banjarmasin is about 51% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Banjarmasin and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Banjarmasin54% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.24Rp 22.3K
$4.55฿153
-72.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.05Rp 216.1K
$46.18฿1,554
-73.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.68Rp 48.0K
$8.84฿298
-69.68%
Cappuccino
$1.11Rp 19.9K
$3.06฿103
-63.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00Rp 17.9K
$0.73฿24.42
36.99%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33Rp 5,926
$0.40฿13.40
-17.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.52Rp 45.3K
$2.43฿81.8
3.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51Rp 63.0K
$3.78฿127
-7.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43Rp 25.6K
$2.26฿76.0
-36.73%
White Bread(500g)
$0.90Rp 16.1K
$1.81฿60.9
-50.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62Rp 29.0K
$2.25฿75.8
-28.00%
Eggs
$1.50Rp 27.0K
$2.25฿75.6
-33.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.27Rp 148.4K
$19.51฿656
-57.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.42Rp 43.4K
$3.65฿123
-33.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.88Rp 69.5K
$13.05฿439
-70.27%
Apples(1kg)
$1.86Rp 33.4K
$3.23฿109
-42.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07Rp 19.2K
$1.62฿54.4
-33.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.00Rp 18.0K
$2.38฿80.2
-57.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.70Rp 12.5K
$2.03฿68.2
-65.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.01Rp 18.1K
$1.53฿51.6
-33.99%
Onion(1kg)
$1.08Rp 19.4K
$1.50฿50.5
-28.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.83Rp 14.9K
$0.98฿32.93
-15.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44Rp 7,932
$0.52฿17.40
-15.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.79Rp 32.1K
$4.44฿149
-59.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$23.06Rp 413.8K
$18.32฿616
25.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04Rp 36.6K
$1.86฿62.7
9.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22Rp 57.7K
$2.68฿90.2
20.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.31Rp 5,578
$1.41฿47.49
-78.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.23Rp 327.0K
$11.70฿394
55.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.25Rp 22.4K
$3.11฿105
-59.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.75Rp 13.5K
$1.04฿35.08
-27.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.85Rp 51.1K
$14.11฿475
-79.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.92Rp 16.5K
$1.31฿44.13
-29.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9KRp 447.2M
$27.8K฿936.0K
-10.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1KRp 503.8M
$33.2K฿1.1M
-15.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.14Rp 791.7K
$122฿4,120
-63.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.12Rp 56.0K
$13.59฿457
-77.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.65Rp 334.6K
$18.70฿629
-0.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.82Rp 875.8K
$60.5฿2,035
-19.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.28Rp 112.6K
$16.98฿572
-63.02%
Cinema Ticket
$6.19Rp 111.0K
$9.07฿305
-31.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$61.2Rp 1.1M
$706฿23.8K
-91.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,476Rp 134.1M
$15.8K฿531.8K
-52.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.90Rp 500.5K
$58.6฿1,970
-52.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.34Rp 544.2K
$35.36฿1,190
-14.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$58.3Rp 1.0M
$115฿3,885
-49.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.12Rp 629.9K
$83.7฿2,818
-58.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$255Rp 4.6M
$626฿21.1K
-59.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$161Rp 2.9M
$445฿15.0K
-63.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$596Rp 10.7M
$2,040฿68.7K
-70.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$332Rp 5.9M
$1,492฿50.2K
-77.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,132Rp 20.3M
$3,483฿117.2K
-67.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$607Rp 10.9M
$2,577฿86.7K
-76.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$199Rp 3.6M
$500฿16.8K
-60.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
5.33
71.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Banjarmasin: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Banjarmasin versus $626 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 151% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Banjarmasin versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $289 – making Banjarmasin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Banjarmasin vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Banjarmasin?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $916 per month in Banjarmasin and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjarmasin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Banjarmasin or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Banjarmasin and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Banjarmasin and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $611 in Banjarmasin and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Banjarmasin or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjarmasin, where all-in costs run around $611, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Banjarmasin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Banjarmasin or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banjarmasin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Banjarmasin or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banjarmasin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Banjarmasin vs other spots: cost of living compared