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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $396 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $639 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $882 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Phuket costs about 209% 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

$4.51 ฿147

$1.78 NPR 269

153.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$18.81 NPR 2,847

147.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$3.72 NPR 563

128.23%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$0.99 NPR 150

211.11%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.50 NPR 75.3

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.17 NPR 25.66

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.79 NPR 271

35.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.87 NPR 283

94.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.71 NPR 107

208.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.54 NPR 81.9

235.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.94 NPR 142

137.23%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.85 NPR 280

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$3.61 NPR 546

442.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.09 NPR 467

20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$6.15 NPR 931

119.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.26 NPR 342

48.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.06 NPR 160

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.25 NPR 190

92.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.70 NPR 105

184.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.52 NPR 78.5

194.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.67 NPR 101

116.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.38 NPR 57.8

165.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.23 NPR 34.93

108.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.84 NPR 429

50.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$5.76 NPR 871

231.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.17 NPR 329

-15.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.49 NPR 377

10.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.15 NPR 22.29

846.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$2.24 NPR 339

33.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.05 NPR 159

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$3.67 NPR 555

278.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.24 NPR 188

4.03%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$31.6K NPR 4.8M

-11.39%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$40.4K NPR 6.1M

-17.00%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$32.42 NPR 4,905

276.25%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.91 NPR 743

183.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$9.87 NPR 1,494

91.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$18.29 NPR 2,767

235.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$3.05 NPR 461

191.48%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$18.38 NPR 2,781

3661.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$3,752 NPR 567.7K

330.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$18.12 NPR 2,742

218.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$27.59 NPR 4,174

28.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$57.6 NPR 8,719

96.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$39.74 NPR 6,013

108.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$106 NPR 16.1K

469.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$64.2 NPR 9,707

598.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$203 NPR 30.8K

897.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$144 NPR 21.8K

936.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bhaktapur: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Bhaktapur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $129 – 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 209%, 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $594 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 $1,223 in Phuket and $396 in Bhaktapur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $691 per month in Phuket and $18.38 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 $396, than in Phuket at $1,223. 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.