Cost of Living Comparison Between Bismarck, ND and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bismarck, ND and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,515 in Bismarck, ND versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,438 in Bismarck, ND versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,360 in Bismarck, ND versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Bismarck, ND is roughly 98% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bismarck, ND is 88% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$42.84 $42.84

$4.66 ฿150

819.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$46.44 ฿1,496

60.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.51 $14.51

$8.68 ฿280

67.17%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$2.95 ฿95.0

77.29%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$0.70 ฿22.52

240.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.39 ฿12.70

361.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$2.53 ฿81.6

138.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$3.78 ฿122

81.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.22 ฿71.5

-51.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.80 ฿57.8

49.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.19 ฿70.4

101.83%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.31 ฿74.5

83.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$19.34 ฿623

-37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.44 $14.44

$3.77 ฿121

283.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$13.22 ฿426

14.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.33 ฿107

48.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.65 ฿53.1

-2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.29 ฿73.7

89.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.99 ฿64.1

131.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.53 ฿49.24

86.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.51 ฿48.77

85.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.03 ฿33.12

103.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.51 ฿16.57

331.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 $8.23

$4.41 ฿142

86.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.09 $20.09

$19.41 ฿625

3.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.80 ฿58.0

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.68 ฿86.4

25.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 ฿46.11

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.04 ฿97.9

16.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.04 ฿33.37

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.34 $29.34

$13.68 ฿441

114.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.30 ฿41.85

-36.92%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

4.81%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-21.95%

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

$187 $187

$123 ฿3,962

52.13%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$13.82 ฿445

399.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.5 $92.5

$18.86 ฿608

390.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.25 $43.25

$61.2 ฿1,970

-29.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 $13.31

$8.87 ฿286

50.06%

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

$1,317 $1,317

$696 ฿22.4K

89.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

48.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 $52.0

$59.3 ฿1,910

-12.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 $40.23

$34.85 ฿1,123

15.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 $67.0

$113 ฿3,646

-40.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$85.1 ฿2,740

32.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 $1,218

$615 ฿19.8K

97.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 $1,011

$448 ฿14.4K

125.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$2,085 ฿67.2K

-22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 $1,160

$1,496 ฿48.2K

-22.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 $2,078

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-44.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 $2,017

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-24.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,878 $3,878

$534 ฿17.2K

626.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.13

5.33

33.77%

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

Last update for Bismarck, ND: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,218 in Bismarck, ND and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bismarck, ND pays 627% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75 in Bismarck, ND vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $291 per month, with Phuket 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

Bismarck, ND vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bismarck, ND and Phuket differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($2,515 vs $1,270 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bismarck, ND pays 627% more on average, 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: $1,218 in Bismarck, ND versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,317 in Bismarck, ND versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $75.0 in Bismarck, ND. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,515 in Bismarck, ND, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bismarck, ND. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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, Bismarck, ND 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Bismarck, ND. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.