😐A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $595 in Banjarmasin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $941 in Banjarmasin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,288 in Banjarmasin, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 107% more than Banjarmasin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Banjarmasin are more affordable than the global median – Phuket10% lower, Banjarmasin56% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$1.16Rp 20.6K
280.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$14.18Rp 251.1K
127.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$3.45Rp 61.2K
158.84%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$1.27Rp 22.4K
128.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$0.81Rp 14.4K
8.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$0.34Rp 6,055
41.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$5.23Rp 92.6K
-55.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$3.37Rp 59.6K
10.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.33Rp 23.6K
40.60%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$0.95Rp 16.8K
54.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$0.86Rp 15.2K
80.23%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$1.61Rp 28.5K
30.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$8.16Rp 144.5K
140.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$2.21Rp 39.1K
54.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$3.34Rp 59.2K
240.72%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$2.00Rp 35.4K
49.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$1.14Rp 20.2K
47.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$0.97Rp 17.1K
127.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$1.25Rp 22.1K
72.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.27Rp 22.5K
19.69%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$0.98Rp 17.4K
36.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$0.77Rp 13.7K
46.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.44Rp 7,852
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$1.99Rp 35.2K
114.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$19.22Rp 340.3K
-0.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$2.07Rp 36.6K
-14.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$2.72Rp 48.2K
2.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$0.70Rp 12.3K
218.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$16.72Rp 296.1K
36.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$0.50Rp 8,793
506.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$0.32Rp 5,753
218.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$2.94Rp 52.0K
32.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$0.84Rp 14.8K
77.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$25.6KRp 452.7M
3.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$33.5KRp 593.6M
-19.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$40.57Rp 718.4K
152.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$2.77Rp 49.1K
309.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$17.69Rp 313.2K
-1.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$20.43Rp 361.7K
154.92%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$7.42Rp 131.4K
49.19%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$5.52Rp 97.8K
39.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$96.0Rp 1.7M
483.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$7,529Rp 133.3M
52.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$43.38Rp 768.1K
45.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$30.84Rp 546.2K
-4.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$55.3Rp 978.3K
77.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$33.34Rp 590.3K
165.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$217Rp 3.8M
240.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$165Rp 2.9M
192.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$563Rp 10.0M
273.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$370Rp 6.6M
230.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$1,228Rp 21.7M
194.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$752Rp 13.3M
246.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$204Rp 3.6M
142.03%
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: September 15, 2026
Last update for Banjarmasin: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $217 in Banjarmasin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 142% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $14.00 in Banjarmasin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $174 – making Banjarmasin 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 Banjarmasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banjarmasin cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $893 in Banjarmasin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjarmasin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Banjarmasin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $14.00 in Banjarmasin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Banjarmasin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $595 in Banjarmasin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Banjarmasin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjarmasin, where all-in costs run around $595, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Banjarmasin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Banjarmasin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banjarmasin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Banjarmasin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banjarmasin. 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.