Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bhaktapur Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bhaktapur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $397 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $654 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $912 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Phuket costs about 210% more than Bhaktapur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Bhaktapur are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Bhaktapur 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.86 NPR 282

148.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$18.97 NPR 2,881

146.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.56 NPR 541

148.31%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.00 NPR 152

200.00%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.50 NPR 76.6

48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.15 NPR 22.07

146.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.80 NPR 274

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.77 NPR 269

103.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.70 NPR 106

222.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.54 NPR 82.4

240.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.99 NPR 150

126.26%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.77 NPR 269

31.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$3.73 NPR 567

427.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.18 NPR 483

14.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.06 NPR 921

116.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.27 NPR 345

49.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.08 NPR 165

51.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.20 NPR 183

100.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.69 NPR 105

194.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.52 NPR 79.2

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.71 NPR 108

111.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.41 NPR 62.6

148.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.23 NPR 35.02

113.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.82 NPR 429

57.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.08 NPR 924

210.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.07 NPR 315

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.54 NPR 385

8.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.14 NPR 21.97

900.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.12 NPR 322

47.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.05 NPR 160

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$3.56 NPR 541

295.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.22 NPR 186

10.66%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-13.65%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$40.9K NPR 6.2M

-19.45%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$33.06 NPR 5,021

278.04%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.91 NPR 746

176.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$9.91 NPR 1,505

86.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$18.24 NPR 2,770

237.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$3.07 NPR 466

199.35%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$18.12 NPR 2,753

3753.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$3,746 NPR 569.1K

316.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$18.24 NPR 2,771

216.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$27.84 NPR 4,230

26.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$58.3 NPR 8,853

94.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$40.22 NPR 6,110

114.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$106 NPR 16.1K

481.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$64.7 NPR 9,824

589.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$209 NPR 31.7K

881.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$146 NPR 22.2K

920.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$172 NPR 26.2K

203.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.08

-55.88%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bhaktapur: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $106 in Bhaktapur. 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 204% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Bhaktapur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $130 – making Bhaktapur 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 Bhaktapur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 210%, 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 $595 in Bhaktapur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bhaktapur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $397 in Bhaktapur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $18.12 in Bhaktapur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bhaktapur, where all-in costs run around $397, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Bhaktapur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bhaktapur – 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 Bhaktapur. 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.