Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bandar Lampung

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandar Lampung: $573 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Bandar Lampung, Indonesia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Bandar Lampung
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$573
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Bandar Lampung

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $573 in Bandar Lampung.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Bandar Lampung $573

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $929 in Bandar Lampung.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Bandar Lampung $929

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,285 in Bandar Lampung.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Bandar Lampung $1,285

Living in Phuket is roughly 123% more expensive than in Bandar Lampung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Bandar Lampung 58% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$1.50 Rp 27.2K
198.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$9.63 Rp 174.5K
236.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$2.47 Rp 44.7K
256.68%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$0.84 Rp 15.2K
236.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.26 Rp 4,756
234.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.21 Rp 3,805
133.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.62 Rp 29.3K
58.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$2.54 Rp 46.1K
44.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.03 Rp 18.6K
61.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$1.12 Rp 20.3K
30.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.67 Rp 12.1K
123.88%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.55 Rp 28.0K
34.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$9.21 Rp 166.8K
107.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.98 Rp 54.0K
10.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$7.45 Rp 135.1K
46.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$1.90 Rp 34.5K
54.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.08 Rp 19.6K
56.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.39 Rp 25.2K
61.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$1.30 Rp 23.6K
60.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.85 Rp 15.3K
77.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.41 Rp 25.5K
-2.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.57 Rp 10.4K
87.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.39 Rp 7,136
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$1.88 Rp 34.0K
123.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$20.79 Rp 376.6K
-9.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.40 Rp 25.4K
30.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$3.10 Rp 56.1K
-8.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.25 Rp 4,559
480.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$12.75 Rp 231.0K
344.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.53 Rp 9,642
469.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.32 Rp 5,709
218.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$3.26 Rp 59.0K
13.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$0.67 Rp 12.1K
119.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$21.7K Rp 393.1M
23.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$22.3K Rp 404.0M
19.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$37.80 Rp 685.0K
154.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$6.17 Rp 111.8K
82.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$10.98 Rp 198.9K
53.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$18.84 Rp 341.3K
256.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$8.31 Rp 150.5K
29.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
180.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$92.2 Rp 1.7M
415.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$8,164 Rp 147.9M
37.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$16.50 Rp 299.1K
277.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$27.97 Rp 506.8K
1.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$70.0 Rp 1.3M
34.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$105 Rp 1.9M
-18.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$231 Rp 4.2M
209.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$144 Rp 2.6M
240.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$543 Rp 9.8M
254.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$365 Rp 6.6M
292.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$1,139 Rp 20.6M
266.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$786 Rp 14.2M
287.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bandar Lampung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
9.46
-41.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bandar Lampung: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Bandar Lampung
$144 70.6% $347
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Bandar Lampung
$190 28.5% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Bandar Lampung
$55 55.9% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Bandar Lampung
$99 18.9% $23
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Bandar Lampung
$45 63.4% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Bandar Lampung
$24 70.6% $58
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Bandar Lampung
$16 77.5% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $231 in Bandar Lampung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $10 in Bandar Lampung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $190 per month, with Bandar Lampung cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇩 Bandar Lampung
🕒 Local time
16:43 4:43 PM
16:43 4:43 PM
Same time as Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
921,087
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18,120 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,232 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Bandar Lampung 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Bandar Lampung

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
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 55% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Bandar Lampung?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $860 in Bandar Lampung to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Bandar Lampung?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $231 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 $10 versus $32 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 $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $573 in Bandar Lampung – Bandar Lampung is about 55% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Phuket or in Bandar Lampung?
At $573 in Bandar Lampung versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 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 offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Bandar Lampung?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bandar Lampung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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