🙂A single person spends $1,213 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,046 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,879 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Kuta, Bali is about 3% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Kuta, Bali and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kuta, Bali12% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.99Rp 52.7K
$4.56฿150
-34.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.50Rp 590.6K
$32.62฿1,072
2.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.84Rp 85.4K
$8.90฿293
-45.62%
Cappuccino
$2.40Rp 42.3K
$2.80฿92.2
-14.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40Rp 24.8K
$0.88฿28.93
59.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63Rp 11.2K
$0.49฿16.08
28.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43Rp 42.9K
$2.39฿78.5
1.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82Rp 67.3K
$3.71฿122
2.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.52Rp 26.8K
$1.79฿58.7
-15.08%
White Bread(500g)
$2.15Rp 38.0K
$1.44฿47.38
49.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.11Rp 19.6K
$1.58฿52.1
-29.75%
Eggs
$2.02Rp 35.6K
$2.13฿69.9
-5.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.93Rp 298.5K
$19.92฿655
-15.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.80Rp 67.1K
$3.43฿113
10.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.51Rp 203.0K
$11.33฿372
1.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.54Rp 62.4K
$2.95฿96.9
20.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.54Rp 27.1K
$1.72฿56.6
-10.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.19Rp 38.6K
$2.32฿76.4
-5.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.94Rp 34.1K
$2.08฿68.4
-6.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.81Rp 31.9K
$1.47฿48.33
23.13%
Onion(1kg)
$2.33Rp 41.1K
$1.36฿44.64
71.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.93Rp 16.3K
$1.10฿36.12
-15.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49Rp 8,610
$0.57฿18.89
-14.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.15Rp 38.0K
$4.27฿140
-49.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.88Rp 403.4K
$18.42฿605
24.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29Rp 40.4K
$1.87฿61.5
22.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65Rp 46.7K
$2.92฿96.0
-9.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30Rp 5,335
$2.22฿72.9
-86.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.44Rp 166.5K
$22.90฿753
-58.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.51Rp 8,952
$3.03฿99.6
-83.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.53Rp 9,356
$1.07฿35.31
-50.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.70Rp 47.6K
$3.93฿129
-31.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.90Rp 16.0K
$1.49฿49.04
-39.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KRp 484.8M
$27.1K฿891.7K
1.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5KRp 607.7M
$27.5K฿902.3K
25.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.3Rp 1.5M
$103฿3,379
-18.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.50Rp 114.6K
$10.99฿361
-40.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.95Rp 334.1K
$17.51฿576
8.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.81Rp 860.6K
$53.5฿1,760
-8.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.29Rp 287.3K
$11.20฿368
45.45%
Cinema Ticket
$3.81Rp 67.2K
$7.48฿246
-49.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$442Rp 7.8M
$557฿18.3K
-20.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,194Rp 91.6M
$11.9K฿389.6K
-56.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.89Rp 809.2K
$64.1฿2,106
-28.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07Rp 618.3K
$29.07฿956
20.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9Rp 1.4M
$96.0฿3,154
-16.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6Rp 1.4M
$90.3฿2,970
-11.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$919Rp 16.2M
$730฿24.0K
25.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$568Rp 10.0M
$500฿16.4K
13.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,928Rp 51.6M
$2,090฿68.7K
40.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,418Rp 25.0M
$1,209฿39.7K
17.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,348Rp 41.4M
$3,596฿118.2K
-34.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,890Rp 33.3M
$2,512฿82.6K
-24.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.78
5.57
147.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kuta, Bali: September 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $919 in Kuta, Bali versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Kuta, Bali versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Kuta, Bali vs $273 in Phuket – so Phuket 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
Kuta, Bali vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kuta, Bali or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 3% more than Kuta, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kuta, Bali and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,819 per month in Kuta, Bali and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kuta, Bali or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuta, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Kuta, Bali and in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Kuta, Bali and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Kuta, Bali compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,213 in Kuta, Bali and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kuta, Bali or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuta, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Kuta, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kuta, Bali or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuta, Bali costs $1,213 versus $1,253 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Kuta, Bali compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Kuta, Bali or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Kuta, Bali. 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.
Kuta, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared