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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,180 per month in Bologna vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,331 per month in Bologna vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,482 per month in Bologna vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Bologna costs about 74% 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

$23.16 €20.28

$4.55 ฿153

409.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 €69.7

$46.18 ฿1,553

72.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 €10.66

$8.84 ฿297

37.67%

Cappuccino

$1.98 €1.73

$3.06 ฿103

-35.29%

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

$3.43 €3.00

$0.73 ฿24.40

369.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.26

$0.40 ฿13.39

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 €4.98

$2.43 ฿81.8

134.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 €4.92

$3.78 ฿127

48.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.26 ฿76.0

-22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 €2.64

$1.81 ฿60.9

66.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.93

$2.25 ฿75.8

48.44%

Eggs

$4.19 €3.67

$2.25 ฿75.5

86.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.15 €19.40

$19.51 ฿656

13.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.10 €12.35

$3.65 ฿123

286.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 €20.19

$13.05 ฿439

76.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 €2.69

$3.23 ฿109

-4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 €2.54

$1.62 ฿54.4

79.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 €3.18

$2.38 ฿80.1

52.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 €3.91

$2.03 ฿68.1

120.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 €2.10

$1.53 ฿51.6

56.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.82

$1.50 ฿50.5

38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.29

$0.98 ฿32.91

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.52 ฿17.39

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.20

$4.44 ฿149

59.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 €6.14

$18.32 ฿616

-61.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.86 ฿62.7

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.71

$2.68 ฿90.1

15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 €2.39

$1.41 ฿47.46

93.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.03 €35.94

$11.70 ฿393

250.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 €5.05

$3.11 ฿105

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.28

$1.04 ฿35.06

40.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.79 €26.96

$14.11 ฿474

118.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.85

$1.31 ฿44.10

61.07%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

36.28%

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

$38.8K €34.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

16.72%

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

$228 €200

$122 ฿4,118

86.35%

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

$11.59 €10.15

$13.59 ฿457

-14.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 €29.70

$18.70 ฿629

81.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 €60.3

$60.5 ฿2,034

13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.88 €29.67

$16.98 ฿571

99.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 €11.32

$9.07 ฿305

42.45%

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

$893 €782

$706 ฿23.8K

26.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K €25.2K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

81.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.8

$58.6 ฿1,969

73.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 €45.79

$35.36 ฿1,189

47.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

$115 ฿3,883

4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 €169

$83.7 ฿2,816

130.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 €973

$626 ฿21.0K

77.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 €755

$445 ฿15.0K

93.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,759

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 €1,259

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-3.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,405 €4,734

$3,483 ฿117.1K

55.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,883 €3,401

$2,577 ฿86.7K

50.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,140 €1,874

$500 ฿16.8K

328.08%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,111 in Bologna versus $626 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 328% 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 $80.0 in Bologna versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $289 – 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 74% 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 $3,270 per month in Bologna and $1,875 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 251% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $893 per month in Bologna and $706 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 $1,250, than in Bologna at $2,180. 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 $1,250 versus $2,180 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.