Cost of Living Comparison Between Bologna and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bologna and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,182 per month in Bologna vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,410 per month in Bologna vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,639 per month in Bologna vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Bologna costs about 72% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bologna sits 63% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.28 €20.05

$4.70 ฿154

395.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 €71.1

$45.37 ฿1,483

82.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 €10.38

$8.43 ฿276

43.06%

Cappuccino

$2.06 €1.77

$2.93 ฿95.7

-29.69%

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

$3.54 €3.05

$0.69 ฿22.42

413.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$0.37 ฿12.00

275.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €4.88

$2.41 ฿78.7

135.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$3.72 ฿122

58.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.23 ฿73.0

-21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.83 ฿59.9

65.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.84

$2.17 ฿70.9

51.61%

Eggs

$4.19 €3.61

$2.21 ฿72.4

89.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.88 €18.84

$19.74 ฿645

10.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.99 €12.04

$3.63 ฿119

285.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.40 €20.15

$13.53 ฿442

72.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$3.28 ฿107

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 €2.49

$1.61 ฿52.7

79.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 €3.10

$2.41 ฿78.7

49.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 €3.84

$2.08 ฿68.1

114.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 €2.08

$1.53 ฿49.97

58.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.48 ฿48.41

37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.22

$0.99 ฿32.32

43.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.51 ฿16.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$4.41 ฿144

61.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.38 €6.35

$19.38 ฿634

-61.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.78 ฿58.1

3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.69

$2.71 ฿88.7

15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.37 ฿44.83

91.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.69 €35.90

$11.39 ฿372

266.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.88

$3.02 ฿98.7

87.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.99 ฿32.51

48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.96 €26.66

$14.10 ฿461

119.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.36 ฿44.55

49.26%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

36.90%

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

$38.4K €33.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

16.59%

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

$230 €198

$122 ฿3,978

88.96%

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

$11.26 €9.69

$13.57 ฿444

-17.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 €28.44

$18.31 ฿599

80.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 €58.6

$60.2 ฿1,969

12.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.96 €29.24

$17.14 ฿560

98.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 €10.81

$8.69 ฿284

44.42%

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

$917 €789

$693 ฿22.7K

32.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.8K €23.9K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

77.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$59.5 ฿1,946

70.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 €44.44

$34.77 ฿1,137

48.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €104

$115 ฿3,746

5.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 €167

$83.3 ฿2,723

132.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €953

$613 ฿20.0K

80.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 €742

$437 ฿14.3K

97.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 €1,741

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-3.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 €1,270

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-2.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,365 €4,620

$3,749 ฿122.6K

43.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,022 €3,463

$2,616 ฿85.5K

53.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,201 €1,895

$508 ฿16.6K

333.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

5.33

-21.76%

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

Last update for Bologna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,107 in Bologna versus $613 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 333% higher in Bologna, 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 $83.0 in Bologna versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $293 – 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

Bologna vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bologna costs about 72% 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 $3,272 per month in Bologna and $1,898 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.

Public transport costs about 266% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $917 per month in Bologna and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Bologna at $2,182. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bologna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,182 in Bologna. 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, Bologna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.