😐A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $625 in Banjarmasin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $954 in Banjarmasin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,283 in Banjarmasin, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 102% more than Banjarmasin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Banjarmasin are more affordable than the global median – Phuket6% lower, Banjarmasin53% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$1.19Rp 21.3K
294.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$12.36Rp 220.7K
267.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$2.55Rp 45.5K
230.59%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$1.10Rp 19.7K
166.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.97Rp 17.3K
-28.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.31Rp 5,451
19.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.40Rp 42.9K
0.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.44Rp 61.5K
8.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.44Rp 25.7K
54.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$0.89Rp 15.9K
105.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.61Rp 28.8K
34.78%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$1.45Rp 26.0K
52.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$8.34Rp 149.0K
136.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$2.43Rp 43.4K
49.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$3.96Rp 70.7K
241.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.97Rp 35.1K
66.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.03Rp 18.4K
56.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$0.96Rp 17.1K
151.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$0.71Rp 12.6K
192.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.04Rp 18.6K
47.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.11Rp 19.9K
33.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.81Rp 14.6K
22.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.45Rp 7,991
13.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$1.81Rp 32.3K
143.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$20.67Rp 369.2K
-6.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.09Rp 37.3K
-14.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$3.12Rp 55.7K
-13.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.31Rp 5,608
341.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$18.47Rp 329.8K
-38.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$1.27Rp 22.6K
137.80%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.69Rp 12.4K
43.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$2.94Rp 52.6K
379.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$0.85Rp 15.2K
60.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$24.1KRp 430.5M
16.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$27.1KRp 484.8M
21.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$44.37Rp 792.3K
174.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$3.09Rp 55.2K
339.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$18.94Rp 338.3K
-3.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$49.17Rp 878.2K
22.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$6.21Rp 110.9K
176.01%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$6.06Rp 108.2K
43.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$62.0Rp 1.1M
1018.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$7,569Rp 135.2M
107.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$27.81Rp 496.6K
114.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$31.24Rp 557.9K
11.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$58.7Rp 1.0M
95.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$35.79Rp 639.2K
132.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$259Rp 4.6M
136.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$160Rp 2.9M
172.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$583Rp 10.4M
259.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$340Rp 6.1M
344.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$1,095Rp 19.6M
242.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$833Rp 14.9M
213.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Banjarmasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$200Rp 3.6M
153.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
9.15
-41.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Banjarmasin: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $259 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 153% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Banjarmasin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $180 – 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 102%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $938 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 Banjarmasin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $12.00 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 vs Banjarmasin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $625 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 Phuket or Banjarmasin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjarmasin, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.