Cost of Living Comparison Between Bunia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bunia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $389 in Bunia versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $632 in Bunia versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $874 in Bunia versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Bunia costs roughly 69% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bunia 71% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 CDF 2,337

$2.23 ฿72.9

-53.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 CDF 4,429

$1.83 ฿59.8

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 CDF 4,652

$2.17 ฿70.8

-5.53%

Eggs

$3.71 CDF 8,412

$2.21 ฿72.3

67.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,757

$19.74 ฿645

-84.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 CDF 11.3K

$3.63 ฿119

37.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 CDF 11.6K

$13.53 ฿442

-62.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 CDF 11.2K

$3.28 ฿107

50.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CDF 3,480

$1.61 ฿52.6

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 CDF 5,821

$2.41 ฿78.6

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 CDF 4,648

$2.08 ฿68.1

-1.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CDF 6,730

$1.53 ฿49.93

93.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 CDF 6,620

$1.48 ฿48.36

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.88 CDF 8,810

$0.99 ฿32.29

291.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 CDF 1,980

$0.51 ฿16.67

70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 CDF 13.9K

$4.41 ฿144

39.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CDF 6,769

$1.78 ฿58.1

67.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

$2.71 ฿88.6

85.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 CDF 15.0K

$3.02 ฿98.6

118.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.09 CDF 11.6K

$0.99 ฿32.48

414.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

$14.10 ฿461

6.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 CDF 4,472

$1.36 ฿44.51

44.85%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$15.23 CDF 34.6K

$13.57 ฿443

12.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.94 CDF 22.6K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-83.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.28 CDF 34.7K

$17.14 ฿560

-10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.84 CDF 29.1K

$8.69 ฿284

47.76%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 CDF 8.0M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-77.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.40 CDF 69.0K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-48.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CDF 101.0K

$34.77 ฿1,136

27.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.5 CDF 126.0K

$115 ฿3,743

-51.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.2 CDF 150.2K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Bunia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

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

Bunia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bunia and Phuket differ by about 225% in total monthly costs ($389 vs $1,265 including rent). Bunia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $583 in Bunia and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $389 per month in Bunia versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 225% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $389 in Bunia versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bunia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bunia 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, Bunia 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 Bunia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.