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: $2,458 in Bismarck, ND versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,447 in Bismarck, ND versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,435 in Bismarck, ND versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Bismarck, ND is roughly 95% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bismarck, ND is 83% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$43.20 $43.20

$4.56 ฿149

847.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 $74.0

$46.63 ฿1,519

58.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 $14.96

$8.47 ฿276

76.62%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$3.03 ฿98.6

68.32%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$0.69 ฿22.45

242.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.37 ฿11.92

375.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.49 ฿81.0

134.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.66 ฿119

90.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.18 ฿71.0

-51.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.90 ฿62.0

43.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.20 ฿71.6

95.91%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$2.22 ฿72.4

87.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$19.99 ฿651

-39.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.46 $14.46

$3.66 ฿119

295.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$13.25 ฿432

15.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.23 ฿105

56.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.70 ฿55.3

-4.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.39 ฿78.0

74.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.08 ฿67.7

121.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.59 ฿51.8

83.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.48 ฿48.31

96.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.03 ฿33.54

106.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.52 ฿16.83

323.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.31 $8.31

$4.25 ฿138

95.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.74 $19.74

$18.79 ฿612

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.76 ฿57.2

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.76 ฿89.8

20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.36 ฿44.32

49.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.14 ฿102

13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.04 ฿33.74

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 $28.85

$13.77 ฿448

109.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.34 ฿43.79

-35.07%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

8.72%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-25.11%

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

$190 $190

$124 ฿4,025

54.11%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$13.52 ฿440

415.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.9 $90.9

$18.69 ฿609

386.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 $42.83

$61.8 ฿2,013

-30.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$13.32 $13.32

$9.14 ฿298

45.73%

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

$1,293 $1,293

$703 ฿22.9K

83.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

49.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$59.5 ฿1,937

-15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 $40.56

$35.07 ฿1,142

15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 $66.7

$115 ฿3,754

-42.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$84.1 ฿2,737

33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 $1,208

$619 ฿20.1K

95.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 $1,007

$433 ฿14.1K

132.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 $1,628

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 $1,174

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-22.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,008 $2,008

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-44.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,040 $2,040

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-22.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,965 $3,965

$507 ฿16.5K

682.01%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Bismarck, ND and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bismarck, ND pays 682% 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: $74.0 in Bismarck, ND vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $293 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 95% in total monthly costs ($2,458 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bismarck, ND pays 682% 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: $1,208 in Bismarck, ND versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,293 in Bismarck, ND versus $703 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 $47.00 versus $74.0 in Bismarck, ND. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,458 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 95% less than in Bismarck, ND. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.