Cost of Living Comparison Between Baoji and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Baoji and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $710 in Baoji versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,103 in Baoji versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,497 in Baoji versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Baoji costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baoji 49% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 ¥18.04

$4.66 ฿154

-42.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.84 ¥79.3

$32.22 ฿1,065

-63.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ¥29.46

$8.68 ฿287

-49.31%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ¥14.08

$2.90 ฿95.8

-27.59%

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

$0.29 ¥1.91

$0.84 ฿27.89

-65.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.49 ฿16.16

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ¥10.20

$2.48 ฿82.0

-38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.14

$3.73 ฿123

-59.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ¥9.64

$1.89 ฿62.3

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.30

$1.41 ฿46.54

19.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.06

$1.62 ฿53.6

-44.44%

Eggs

$0.93 ¥6.24

$2.24 ฿74.1

-58.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 ¥78.2

$19.84 ฿656

-41.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ¥24.38

$3.48 ฿115

4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 ¥69.4

$11.37 ฿376

-8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.11

$2.90 ฿95.8

-42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.36

$1.72 ฿57.0

-36.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.35

$2.27 ฿75.1

-44.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 ¥8.87

$2.13 ฿70.4

-38.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 ¥4.29

$1.47 ฿48.72

-56.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$1.42 ฿46.92

-49.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.60

$1.10 ฿36.25

-50.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.60 ฿19.76

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ¥22.47

$4.31 ฿142

-22.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 ¥56.4

$18.60 ฿615

-54.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$1.80 ฿59.5

-59.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.97 ฿98.0

-45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$2.25 ฿74.2

-86.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 ¥121

$23.49 ฿776

-23.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.58

$3.10 ฿102

-58.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$1.08 ฿35.56

-71.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥30.51

$3.87 ฿128

17.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.45

$1.43 ฿47.16

-11.89%

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

$19.0K ¥127.4K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-31.56%

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

$17.8K ¥119.4K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-33.95%

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

$62.1 ¥416

$105 ฿3,462

-40.73%

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

$6.10 ¥40.83

$11.39 ฿376

-46.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.69 ¥71.6

$17.54 ฿580

-39.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ¥273

$54.3 ฿1,795

-24.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.04 ¥101

$11.44 ฿378

31.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 ¥35.88

$7.78 ฿257

-31.11%

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

$685 ¥4,585

$576 ฿19.0K

18.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥118.3K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

52.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.38 ¥257

$63.6 ฿2,103

-39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 ¥250

$29.10 ฿961

28.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 ¥492

$96.2 ฿3,179

-23.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 ¥564

$90.0 ฿2,974

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ¥1,936

$733 ฿24.2K

-60.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,235

$501 ฿16.5K

-63.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ¥4,078

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 ¥2,521

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-69.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,235 ¥21.7K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-8.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 ¥12.9K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-26.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

5.57

-39.86%

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

Last update for Baoji: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $289 in Baoji and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Baoji vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $275 per month, with Baoji cheaper across the board.

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

Baoji vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baoji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,065 in Baoji and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $289 in Baoji versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baoji runs roughly 30% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $685 in Baoji versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $710 in Baoji versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baoji but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Baoji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baoji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Baoji 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 Baoji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.