Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Banda Aceh Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Banda Aceh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $326 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $521 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $716 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

Phuket costs about 277% more than Banda Aceh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Banda Aceh are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Banda Aceh 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

91.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$7.01 Rp 124.1K

360.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.50 Rp 61.9K

155.14%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

130.16%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.42 Rp 7,429

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.24 Rp 4,264

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

-6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.93 Rp 69.6K

-5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

65.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

103.95%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.61 Rp 28.5K

30.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$8.58 Rp 151.9K

128.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.49 Rp 44.0K

37.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$6.83 Rp 120.9K

66.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

90.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

148.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

145.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

72.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$3.47 Rp 61.4K

-61.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

39.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.45 Rp 7,985

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.17 Rp 56.2K

34.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.67 Rp 11.9K

122.39%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

$34.54 Rp 611.7K

196.67%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$2.36 Rp 41.8K

380.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$23.88 Rp 422.8K

-27.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$9.69 Rp 171.5K

437.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$13.38 Rp 237.0K

-17.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$1,963 Rp 34.8M

485.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$28.52 Rp 505.1K

121.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$22.86 Rp 404.8K

29.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$44.76 Rp 792.6K

119.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$28.29 Rp 501.0K

212.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $7.00 in Banda Aceh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $137 – making Banda Aceh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 277%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $490 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 100% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $7.00 in Banda Aceh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $326, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Banda Aceh. 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.