Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bamako Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bamako

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $915 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,501 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $2,087 in Bamako.

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than in Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Bamako 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$6.52 F CFA 3,756

-30.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,562

$37.86 F CFA 21.8K

22.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$6.38 F CFA 3,676

35.58%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$1.86 F CFA 1,071

66.13%

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

$0.68 ฿22.85

$0.74 F CFA 429

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.41

$0.57 F CFA 326

-35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

$2.43 F CFA 1,398

-0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$20.98 F CFA 12.1K

-81.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$2.27 F CFA 1,310

-3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.2

$3.92 F CFA 2,259

-53.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.3

$6.79 F CFA 3,914

-67.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿671

$17.61 F CFA 10.1K

13.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$15.62 F CFA 9,006

-76.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$12.43 F CFA 7,164

9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$3.95 F CFA 2,275

-16.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.02 F CFA 589

65.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.6

$2.84 F CFA 1,640

-17.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$2.16 F CFA 1,246

-6.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.35 F CFA 777

18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$1.37 F CFA 788

8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.11

$0.11 F CFA 65.7

818.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.72 F CFA 1,571

-82.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$0.97 F CFA 557

358.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$1.54 F CFA 890

16.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

$1.66 F CFA 958

68.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$4.76 F CFA 2,746

-70.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$1.22 F CFA 703

-14.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.15

$1.15 F CFA 662

13.91%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,149

$150 F CFA 86.2K

-17.67%

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

$13.81 ฿465

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$57.6 F CFA 33.2K

-67.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

$67.9 F CFA 39.2K

-11.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

$3.99 F CFA 2,298

321.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$5.74 F CFA 3,308

54.88%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$175 F CFA 100.7K

253.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$79.4 F CFA 45.8K

458.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$405 F CFA 233.3K

405.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

$295 F CFA 170.2K

410.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

$1,244 F CFA 717.2K

101.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$264 F CFA 152.5K

90.10%

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 Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bamako: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $175 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $356, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Phuket vs Bamako: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $175 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $915 in Bamako – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $915 in Bamako versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $915 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bamako 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 Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.