Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuta, Bali and Phuket

For one person, living costs are similar in Kuta, Bali and in Phuket: $1,212 and $1,208 a month, rent and utilities included.

Kuta, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,212
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kuta, Bali and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kuta, Bali and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,208 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Kuta, Bali $1,212
  • Phuket $1,208

A couple spends around $2,042 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,027 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Kuta, Bali $2,042
  • Phuket $2,027

A family of three spends $2,872 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,845 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Kuta, Bali $2,872
  • Phuket $2,845

Kuta, Bali and Phuket have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Kuta, Bali and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kuta, Bali 11% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.97 Rp 53.5K
$4.40 ฿147
-32.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.91 Rp 556.3K
$32.26 ฿1,078
-4.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.02 Rp 90.3K
$8.76 ฿293
-42.69%
Cappuccino
$2.37 Rp 42.6K
$2.83 ฿94.5
-16.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 Rp 26.0K
$0.90 ฿30.14
60.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 Rp 11.9K
$0.47 ฿15.56
40.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$2.55 ฿85.2
-10.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 Rp 70.2K
$3.83 ฿128
1.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 Rp 25.9K
$1.73 ฿57.7
-16.76%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 Rp 37.7K
$1.47 ฿49.11
42.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.9K
$1.51 ฿50.6
-23.18%
Eggs
$2.03 Rp 36.6K
$2.17 ฿72.7
-6.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.43 Rp 295.8K
$19.70 ฿658
-16.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.72 Rp 66.9K
$3.34 ฿112
11.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.63 Rp 209.3K
$11.16 ฿373
4.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 Rp 60.7K
$2.85 ฿95.1
18.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.3K
$1.70 ฿56.9
-10.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 Rp 39.0K
$2.19 ฿73.3
-0.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.83 Rp 32.9K
$2.05 ฿68.4
-10.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 Rp 31.5K
$1.45 ฿48.57
20.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$1.38 ฿46.16
65.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
$1.07 ฿35.69
-7.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,228
$0.51 ฿16.91
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.12 Rp 38.2K
$4.26 ฿142
-50.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.73 Rp 391.1K
$18.58 ฿621
16.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 Rp 40.5K
$1.78 ฿59.7
26.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 Rp 50.5K
$2.85 ฿95.2
-1.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,476
$2.26 ฿75.6
-88.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.75 Rp 157.5K
$22.10 ฿738
-60.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rp 8,779
$3.01 ฿101
-83.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.48 Rp 8,665
$1.06 ฿35.34
-54.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.69 Rp 48.5K
$3.86 ฿129
-30.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.93 Rp 16.7K
$1.45 ฿48.45
-35.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 469.9M
$26.3K ฿879.9K
-0.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.9K Rp 646.9M
$26.9K ฿900.4K
33.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$96.4 ฿3,221
-17.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.35 Rp 114.2K
$11.04 ฿369
-42.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.42 Rp 331.5K
$17.14 ฿573
7.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.47 Rp 872.5K
$52.2 ฿1,744
-7.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.64 Rp 281.5K
$11.16 ฿373
40.14%
Cinema Ticket
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
$7.81 ฿261
-50.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$448 Rp 8.1M
$556 ฿18.6K
-19.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,127 Rp 92.3M
$11.6K ฿387.0K
-55.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.03 Rp 810.6K
$64.2 ฿2,146
-29.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.68 Rp 624.2K
$28.69 ฿959
20.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.5 Rp 1.4M
$95.4 ฿3,187
-16.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.1 Rp 1.4M
$88.0 ฿2,940
-12.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$919 Rp 16.5M
$737 ฿24.6K
24.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$563 Rp 10.1M
$462 ฿15.5K
21.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,936 Rp 52.8M
$2,095 ฿70.0K
40.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 Rp 25.5M
$1,201 ฿40.1K
18.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,244 Rp 40.4M
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-35.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,869 Rp 33.6M
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-25.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kuta, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
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: October 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kuta, Bali
$563
Phuket
$462 17.8% $100
Groceries & Markets
Kuta, Bali
$275
Phuket
$269 2.3% $6.2
Clothing & Footwear
Kuta, Bali
$106
Phuket
$124 16.9% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuta, Bali
$105
Phuket
$125 18.9% $20
Eating Out
Kuta, Bali
$95
Phuket
$121 27.7% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Kuta, Bali
$56
Phuket
$68 20.7% $12
Getting Around
Kuta, Bali
$13
Phuket
$39 212% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $919 in Kuta, Bali versus $737 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 $31.00 in Kuta, Bali versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Kuta, Bali vs $269 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Kuta, Bali
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
07:32 7:32 AM
06:32 6:32 AM
1 h behind Kuta, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
57,304
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kuta, Bali Phuket 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kuta, Bali
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kuta, Bali and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,818 per month in Kuta, Bali and $1,813 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 Phuket, 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 $31.00 in Kuta, Bali and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How expensive is transport in Kuta, Bali compared to Phuket?
Public transport costs about 153% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Kuta, Bali or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in Kuta, Bali at $1,212. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuta, Bali 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. Phuket costs $1,208 versus $1,212 in Kuta, Bali. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuta, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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