Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Binjai versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,018 in Binjai versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,380 in Binjai versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Binjai costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Binjai 51% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

$4.63 ฿151

-66.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.22 Rp 211.8K

$46.84 ฿1,532

-73.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

$8.84 ฿289

-60.75%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

$3.00 ฿98.0

-44.33%

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

$0.52 Rp 8,991

$0.74 ฿24.25

-29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,492

$0.37 ฿11.95

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

$2.44 ฿79.8

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 Rp 61.6K

$3.61 ฿118

-1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

$2.26 ฿73.9

-46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 19.6K

$1.84 ฿60.1

-38.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

$2.24 ฿73.4

-60.71%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 26.4K

$2.32 ฿75.7

-34.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 Rp 140.5K

$19.67 ฿643

-58.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

$3.65 ฿119

-13.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 Rp 140.5K

$13.10 ฿428

-38.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 40.9K

$3.39 ฿111

-30.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 25.1K

$1.64 ฿53.7

-11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 31.5K

$2.41 ฿79.0

-24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.0K

$2.03 ฿66.4

-23.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

$1.56 ฿50.9

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 33.6K

$1.50 ฿48.94

29.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 Rp 15.9K

$1.02 ฿33.50

-9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,726

$0.49 ฿16.00

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 Rp 43.4K

$4.45 ฿145

-43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.98 Rp 363.6K

$18.88 ฿617

11.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 Rp 34.9K

$1.78 ฿58.1

12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

$2.75 ฿90.1

12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,576

$1.40 ฿45.81

-77.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.64 Rp 167.1K

$11.48 ฿376

-16.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,952

$3.12 ฿102

-81.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,942

$1.00 ฿32.67

-66.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 51.2K

$14.09 ฿461

-79.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$1.35 ฿44.19

-37.78%

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

$24.9K Rp 432.0M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-8.30%

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

$27.7K Rp 480.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-15.74%

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

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

$125 ฿4,087

-43.27%

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

$4.37 Rp 75.7K

$13.57 ฿444

-67.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.73 Rp 394.0K

$18.52 ฿606

22.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.86 Rp 396.3K

$61.5 ฿2,010

-62.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 106.0K

$16.84 ฿551

-63.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 Rp 52.7K

$9.19 ฿300

-66.92%

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

$94.8 Rp 1.6M

$698 ฿22.8K

-86.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 Rp 129.0M

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-52.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.01 Rp 710.7K

$57.8 ฿1,889

-29.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.78 Rp 533.4K

$35.24 ฿1,152

-12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 Rp 1.2M

$113 ฿3,699

-41.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$86.4 ฿2,825

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.4M

$616 ฿20.1K

-58.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.7M

$446 ฿14.6K

-64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 Rp 10.0M

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-71.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 Rp 5.7M

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-77.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 Rp 21.8M

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-66.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$858 Rp 14.9M

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-67.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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 Binjai: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Binjai and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Binjai vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $292 per month, with Binjai 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

Binjai vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $985 in Binjai and $1,847 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: $255 in Binjai versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $656 per month in Binjai versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 19% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $656 in Binjai versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binjai 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, Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.