Cost of Living Comparison Between Bari and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bari and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,781 per month in Bari vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,722 per month in Bari vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,663 per month in Bari vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Bari costs about 45% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bari sits 30% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.98 €14.78

$4.41 ฿147

285.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$32.26 ฿1,074

115.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 €9.86

$8.93 ฿297

26.76%

Cappuccino

$1.98 €1.72

$2.90 ฿96.4

-31.72%

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

$2.62 €2.28

$0.88 ฿29.30

197.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.12

$0.48 ฿16.01

168.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.60

$2.35 ฿78.3

76.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.95

$3.72 ฿124

-9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.87 ฿62.1

-16.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.47 ฿48.81

16.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.50

$1.55 ฿51.7

85.16%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.54

$2.10 ฿70.0

93.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 €13.89

$19.59 ฿652

-18.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 €9.44

$3.42 ฿114

216.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 €14.62

$11.38 ฿379

47.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 €2.09

$2.98 ฿99.3

-19.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.89

$1.68 ฿56.1

29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.21 ฿73.5

-3.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 €3.22

$2.16 ฿72.0

71.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.52 ฿50.8

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.34 ฿44.55

20.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.13 ฿37.57

13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 €0.34

$0.55 ฿18.19

-29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 €5.98

$4.26 ฿142

61.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 €6.51

$19.09 ฿635

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.78 ฿59.2

11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.24

$2.78 ฿92.6

-7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 €1.09

$2.23 ฿74.2

-43.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.08 €35.75

$22.74 ฿757

80.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 €5.18

$3.03 ฿101

96.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.02 ฿34.06

130.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.42 €21.26

$3.89 ฿130

527.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.49 ฿49.63

40.94%

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

$37.2K €32.3K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

39.78%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

34.72%

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

$237 €206

$102 ฿3,411

131.08%

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

$11.73 €10.21

$11.33 ฿377

3.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.20 €28.02

$17.40 ฿579

85.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 €45.89

$52.1 ฿1,734

1.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.64 €22.32

$11.07 ฿369

131.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 €7.48

$7.69 ฿256

11.70%

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

$773 €673

$561 ฿18.7K

37.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,921 €5,153

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-48.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 €77.7

$63.0 ฿2,098

41.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 €42.09

$29.52 ฿983

63.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.9

$98.0 ฿3,263

12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €130

$88.5 ฿2,946

69.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 €812

$738 ฿24.6K

26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 €583

$482 ฿16.1K

38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 €1,444

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-21.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 €981

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-8.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,954 €3,441

$3,617 ฿120.4K

9.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,138 €1,860

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-17.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,976 €1,720

$494 ฿16.4K

300.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.92

5.57

-29.62%

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

Last update for Bari: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Bari versus $738 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 300% higher in Bari, 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 $69.0 in Bari versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $274 – making Phuket 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

Bari vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bari costs about 45% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,671 per month in Bari and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $773 per month in Bari and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Bari, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Bari at $1,781. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bari it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,781 in Bari. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bari makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.