Cost of Living Comparison Between Bihac and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bihac and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $983 in Bihac versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,455 in Bihac versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Bihac versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Bihac costs roughly 21% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bihac 26% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 BAM 12.41

$4.55 ฿153

59.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.94 BAM 51.2

$46.18 ฿1,554

-35.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 BAM 9.52

$8.84 ฿298

-36.99%

Cappuccino

$1.20 BAM 2.06

$3.06 ฿103

-60.78%

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

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$0.73 ฿24.42

57.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.52

$0.40 ฿13.40

122.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 BAM 2.56

$2.43 ฿81.8

-38.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.09

$3.78 ฿127

-52.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 BAM 2.36

$2.26 ฿76.0

-38.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 BAM 1.79

$1.81 ฿60.9

-41.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$2.25 ฿75.8

2.22%

Eggs

$2.80 BAM 4.80

$2.25 ฿75.6

24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 BAM 17.25

$19.51 ฿656

-48.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 BAM 12.67

$3.65 ฿123

103.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 BAM 19.16

$13.05 ฿439

-14.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$3.23 ฿109

-43.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 BAM 2.89

$1.62 ฿54.4

4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 BAM 3.27

$2.38 ฿80.2

-19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 BAM 3.48

$2.03 ฿68.2

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.53 ฿51.6

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$1.50 ฿50.5

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 BAM 1.65

$0.98 ฿32.93

-2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.56

$0.52 ฿17.40

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BAM 6.15

$4.44 ฿149

-18.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 BAM 13.94

$18.32 ฿616

-55.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.13

$1.86 ฿62.7

-32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.68 ฿90.2

-22.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 BAM 3.01

$1.41 ฿47.49

24.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 BAM 59.9

$11.70 ฿394

199.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$3.11 ฿105

-61.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 BAM 1.40

$1.04 ฿35.08

-21.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.75 BAM 18.39

$14.11 ฿475

-23.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.53

$1.31 ฿44.13

12.98%

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

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-15.12%

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

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-22.06%

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

$205 BAM 350

$122 ฿4,120

67.02%

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

$18.94 BAM 32.40

$13.59 ฿457

39.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 BAM 37.46

$18.70 ฿629

17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.93 BAM 51.2

$60.5 ฿2,035

-50.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.82 BAM 18.50

$16.98 ฿572

-36.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 BAM 9.76

$9.07 ฿305

-37.05%

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

$146 BAM 250

$706 ฿23.8K

-79.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,926 BAM 5,005

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-81.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 BAM 50.3

$58.6 ฿1,970

-49.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.60 BAM 30.11

$35.36 ฿1,190

-50.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 BAM 170

$115 ฿3,885

-13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 BAM 201

$83.7 ฿2,818

40.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 BAM 381

$626 ฿21.1K

-64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 BAM 359

$445 ฿15.0K

-52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 BAM 527

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-84.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 BAM 487

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-80.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,486 BAM 2,542

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-57.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 BAM 2,250

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-48.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 BAM 1,323

$500 ฿16.8K

54.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

5.33

-22.33%

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

Last update for Bihac: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Bihac and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bihac vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $289 per month, with Bihac 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

Bihac vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bihac and Phuket differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($983 vs $1,250 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Bihac, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $223 in Bihac versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bihac – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $983 per month in Bihac versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Bihac versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bihac but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bihac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bihac 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 Bihac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.