Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $895 per month in Boroko vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Boroko vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,703 per month in Boroko vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Boroko is about 27% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Boroko and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Boroko 35% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 PGK 31.39

$4.41 ฿147

63.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.76 PGK 155

$32.26 ฿1,077

10.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PGK 23.93

$8.93 ฿298

-38.30%

Cappuccino

$2.55 PGK 11.07

$2.90 ฿96.6

-12.07%

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

$0.73 PGK 3.16

$0.88 ฿29.38

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PGK 2.82

$0.48 ฿16.06

35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PGK 11.94

$2.35 ฿78.5

17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 PGK 15.41

$3.72 ฿124

-4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PGK 7.02

$1.87 ฿62.3

-13.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 PGK 5.06

$1.47 ฿48.94

-21.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PGK 5.42

$1.55 ฿51.8

-19.35%

Eggs

$3.61 PGK 15.68

$2.10 ฿70.1

71.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 PGK 21.67

$19.59 ฿654

-74.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 PGK 22.07

$3.42 ฿114

48.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 PGK 28.95

$11.38 ฿380

-41.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 PGK 18.03

$2.98 ฿99.6

39.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 PGK 13.13

$1.68 ฿56.2

79.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 PGK 12.33

$2.21 ฿73.7

28.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 PGK 11.46

$2.16 ฿72.1

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 PGK 12.47

$1.52 ฿50.9

88.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 PGK 4.04

$1.34 ฿44.67

-30.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 PGK 4.82

$1.13 ฿37.67

-1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PGK 1.89

$0.55 ฿18.24

-21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 PGK 23.98

$4.26 ฿142

29.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 PGK 21.80

$19.09 ฿637

-73.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 PGK 4.99

$1.78 ฿59.4

-35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 PGK 6.94

$2.78 ฿92.9

-42.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.03

$2.23 ฿74.4

-78.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.66 PGK 133

$22.74 ฿759

34.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 PGK 19.21

$3.03 ฿101

45.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 PGK 5.94

$1.02 ฿34.15

34.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 PGK 48.39

$3.89 ฿130

186.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 PGK 3.29

$1.49 ฿49.77

-48.99%

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

$21.2K PGK 91.9K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-20.42%

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

$17.5K PGK 76.0K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-35.28%

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

$63.1 PGK 274

$102 ฿3,420

-38.42%

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

$23.42 PGK 102

$11.33 ฿378

106.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.3 PGK 401

$17.40 ฿581

430.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 PGK 184

$52.1 ฿1,738

-18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.39 PGK 62.5

$11.07 ฿370

29.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 PGK 29.58

$7.69 ฿257

-11.44%

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

$341 PGK 1,483

$561 ฿18.7K

-39.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,221 PGK 9,650

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-80.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.27 PGK 145

$63.0 ฿2,104

-47.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.67 PGK 59.4

$29.52 ฿986

-53.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.18 PGK 196

$98.0 ฿3,272

-53.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.12 PGK 118

$88.5 ฿2,954

-69.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,340 PGK 14.5K

$738 ฿24.6K

352.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 PGK 971

$482 ฿16.1K

-53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,407 PGK 14.8K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PGK 977

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-81.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 PGK 1,544

$494 ฿16.5K

-28.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Boroko: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,340 in Boroko versus $738 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 39% higher in Phuket, 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 $36.00 in Boroko versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Boroko vs $274 in Phuket – so Boroko wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Boroko vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 38% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,343 per month in Boroko and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boroko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $341 per month in Boroko and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boroko, where all-in costs run around $895, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Boroko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $895 versus $1,232 in Phuket. 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 Boroko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.