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 $891 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,471 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,051 in Bamako.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Bamako 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$6.82 F CFA 3,879

-33.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,533

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

23.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿278

$6.26 F CFA 3,561

35.30%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.5

$1.90 F CFA 1,081

59.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.65

$0.75 F CFA 424

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.03

$0.59 F CFA 337

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.8

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

-82.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.7

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

-4.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.5

$3.89 F CFA 2,212

-51.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.3

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.1

$6.72 F CFA 3,819

-66.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿657

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿120

$15.88 F CFA 9,027

-76.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$12.33 F CFA 7,007

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.97 F CFA 2,258

-18.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.8

$1.02 F CFA 582

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.7

$2.89 F CFA 1,643

-17.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$2.15 F CFA 1,220

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.3

$1.34 F CFA 764

18.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.76

$1.36 F CFA 775

8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.85

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

930.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.99

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

-81.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$0.94 F CFA 536

352.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.51 F CFA 860

16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.6

$1.61 F CFA 916

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.73

$4.63 F CFA 2,630

-70.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.05

$1.27 F CFA 720

-18.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.20

$1.16 F CFA 659

15.52%

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

$27.7K ฿909.7K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,062

$151 F CFA 85.9K

-18.16%

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

$13.52 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿614

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

-67.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,032

$68.0 F CFA 38.7K

-9.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿567

$4.15 F CFA 2,360

315.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿300

$5.70 F CFA 3,242

60.35%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿521.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,955

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,153

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,789

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,763

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.3K

$173 F CFA 98.3K

257.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

$81.6 F CFA 46.4K

430.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.8K

$398 F CFA 226.2K

418.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

$294 F CFA 167.2K

413.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿119.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.3K

$1,252 F CFA 711.6K

109.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

$260 F CFA 147.8K

95.00%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bamako: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $173 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 95% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $358, 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 42% 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.

Phuket pays 95% more on average, 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: $619 in Phuket versus $173 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 $891 in Bamako – a 42% 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 $891 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 $891 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 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.