🙂A single person spends $598 per month in Banjarmasin vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $940 per month in Banjarmasin vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,282 per month in Banjarmasin vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Banjarmasin is about 52% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Banjarmasin and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Banjarmasin56% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.15Rp 20.4K
$4.56฿151
-74.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.63Rp 242.1K
$32.62฿1,082
-58.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.30Rp 58.6K
$8.90฿295
-62.92%
Cappuccino
$1.26Rp 22.4K
$2.80฿93.0
-55.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79Rp 14.1K
$0.88฿29.19
-10.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34Rp 6,085
$0.49฿16.23
-30.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.24Rp 93.0K
$2.39฿79.2
119.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49Rp 62.0K
$3.71฿123
-5.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.33Rp 23.7K
$1.79฿59.3
-25.70%
White Bread(500g)
$0.96Rp 17.0K
$1.44฿47.81
-33.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.87Rp 15.5K
$1.58฿52.6
-44.94%
Eggs
$1.56Rp 27.7K
$2.13฿70.5
-26.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.33Rp 112.4K
$19.92฿661
-68.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.22Rp 39.4K
$3.43฿114
-35.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.34Rp 59.4K
$11.33฿376
-70.52%
Apples(1kg)
$1.90Rp 33.7K
$2.95฿97.8
-35.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.17Rp 20.8K
$1.72฿57.1
-31.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.89Rp 15.7K
$2.32฿77.1
-61.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.28Rp 22.7K
$2.08฿69.0
-38.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.27Rp 22.6K
$1.47฿48.77
-13.61%
Onion(1kg)
$0.93Rp 16.5K
$1.36฿45.05
-31.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72Rp 12.8K
$1.10฿36.45
-34.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43Rp 7,647
$0.57฿19.06
-24.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.88Rp 33.3K
$4.27฿142
-55.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$21.48Rp 381.7K
$18.42฿611
16.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99Rp 35.3K
$1.87฿62.1
6.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11Rp 55.3K
$2.92฿96.9
6.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.67Rp 11.9K
$2.22฿73.6
-69.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$17.16Rp 304.8K
$22.90฿759
-25.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.50Rp 8,900
$3.03฿101
-83.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32Rp 5,741
$1.07฿35.63
-70.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.99Rp 53.2K
$3.93฿130
-23.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82Rp 14.6K
$1.49฿49.49
-44.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.6KRp 401.2M
$27.1K฿899.8K
-16.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9KRp 584.2M
$27.5K฿910.6K
19.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$41.78Rp 742.2K
$103฿3,410
-59.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.85Rp 50.7K
$10.99฿365
-74.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51Rp 311.1K
$17.51฿581
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.34Rp 361.4K
$53.5฿1,776
-62.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.38Rp 131.1K
$11.20฿371
-34.11%
Cinema Ticket
$5.75Rp 102.1K
$7.48฿248
-23.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$95.8Rp 1.7M
$557฿18.5K
-82.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,399Rp 131.4M
$11.9K฿393.2K
-37.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.60Rp 792.3K
$64.1฿2,125
-30.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.45Rp 611.9K
$29.07฿964
18.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$53.9Rp 958.0K
$96.0฿3,183
-43.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.10Rp 588.1K
$90.3฿2,997
-63.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$245Rp 4.4M
$730฿24.2K
-66.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$139Rp 2.5M
$500฿16.6K
-72.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$575Rp 10.2M
$2,090฿69.3K
-72.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$345Rp 6.1M
$1,209฿40.1K
-71.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,157Rp 20.6M
$3,596฿119.3K
-67.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$646Rp 11.5M
$2,512฿83.3K
-74.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Banjarmasin
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$203Rp 3.6M
$503฿16.7K
-59.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.46
5.57
69.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Banjarmasin: August 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Banjarmasin versus $730 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 148% 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 $14.00 in Banjarmasin versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $273 – 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 110%, 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 $897 per month in Banjarmasin and $1,880 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 $14.00 in Banjarmasin and $33.00 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 $598 in Banjarmasin and $1,253 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 $598, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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