😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $553 in Bandar Lampung.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $857 in Bandar Lampung.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,162 in Bandar Lampung.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 126% more expensive than in Bandar Lampung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Bandar Lampung59% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$1.70Rp 30.5K
167.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$12.40Rp 222.9K
272.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$3.20Rp 57.4K
176.25%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.01Rp 18.1K
202.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.36Rp 6,547
102.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.24Rp 4,270
66.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$1.99Rp 35.7K
22.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$3.16Rp 56.7K
19.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.18Rp 21.2K
91.53%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$0.94Rp 17.0K
92.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$0.77Rp 13.9K
192.21%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.35Rp 24.3K
66.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$6.41Rp 115.2K
204.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$2.87Rp 51.5K
27.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$6.02Rp 108.2K
116.78%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.95Rp 35.1K
65.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.06Rp 19.1K
52.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$1.35Rp 24.2K
76.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$1.46Rp 26.2K
39.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.17Rp 21.0K
30.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.67Rp 30.0K
-10.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.56Rp 10.1K
75.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.46Rp 8,261
13.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$1.86Rp 33.5K
138.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$20.72Rp 372.3K
-11.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.52Rp 27.3K
22.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$3.19Rp 57.3K
-15.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$0.60Rp 10.8K
135.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$10.08Rp 181.1K
16.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$0.53Rp 9,593
486.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.35Rp 6,287
197.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$3.02Rp 54.2K
367.22%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$0.66Rp 11.8K
98.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$24.5KRp 439.7M
13.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$24.2KRp 435.0M
37.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$43.70Rp 785.4K
180.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$6.69Rp 120.2K
103.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$27.78Rp 499.2K
-32.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$23.26Rp 418.1K
160.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$9.10Rp 163.5K
86.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$2.81Rp 50.6K
222.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$31.10Rp 558.8K
2171.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$9,597Rp 172.5M
64.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$23.10Rp 415.1K
153.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$21.00Rp 377.4K
68.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$21.54Rp 387.1K
436.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$40.46Rp 727.1K
106.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$263Rp 4.7M
137.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$155Rp 2.8M
186.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$595Rp 10.7M
242.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$334Rp 6.0M
347.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$1,133Rp 20.4M
207.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$687Rp 12.3M
274.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$177Rp 3.2M
182.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
9.59
-44.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Bandar Lampung: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $263 in Bandar Lampung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 183% 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 $12.00 in Bandar Lampung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $180 per month, with Bandar Lampung cheaper across the board.
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 Bandar Lampung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Bandar Lampung?
Bandar Lampung wins on cost – living expenses run 126% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandar Lampung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Bandar Lampung?
Average pay runs 183% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Bandar Lampung?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $263 in Bandar Lampung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Bandar Lampung?
Dining out is cheaper in Bandar Lampung – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Bandar Lampung?
All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $553 in Bandar Lampung – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Bandar Lampung?
At $553 in Bandar Lampung versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandar Lampung but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bandar Lampung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Bandar Lampung?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bandar Lampung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $553 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandar Lampung hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Bandar Lampung?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Bandar Lampung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bandar Lampung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.