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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Phuket vs $295 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Phuket vs $503 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Phuket vs $710 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Phuket costs about 304% more than Bhaktapur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Bhaktapur are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Bhaktapur 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$1.91 NPR 294

127.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,093

$20.20 NPR 3,110

60.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$3.18 NPR 490

164.78%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.5

$0.94 NPR 145

198.94%

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

$0.87 ฿29.46

$0.51 NPR 78.5

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.48

$0.14 NPR 22.16

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿87.0

$1.65 NPR 253

56.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

$1.67 NPR 257

117.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.5

$0.64 NPR 98.9

167.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.69

$0.49 NPR 75.6

195.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$0.90 NPR 138

73.33%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.7

$1.64 NPR 252

28.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿657

$3.25 NPR 500

500.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.22 NPR 495

5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿375

$5.98 NPR 921

86.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.10 NPR 323

34.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.14 NPR 175

42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$1.27 NPR 195

74.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.3

$0.59 NPR 91.3

264.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$0.42 NPR 64.4

254.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.65

$0.55 NPR 84.6

141.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.92

$0.37 NPR 57.5

189.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.10

$0.22 NPR 33.72

131.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿148

$2.43 NPR 375

80.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿632

$5.95 NPR 917

215.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.6

$2.19 NPR 337

-20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$1.65 NPR 254

68.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿750

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$1.90 NPR 293

58.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.63

$1.26 NPR 195

-15.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

$3.19 NPR 490

16.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.16

$1.38 NPR 213

3.62%

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

$26.3K ฿887.1K

$28.8K NPR 4.4M

-8.56%

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

$26.2K ฿882.3K

$36.2K NPR 5.6M

-27.70%

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

$96.7 ฿3,254

$31.85 NPR 4,905

203.49%

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

$11.41 ฿384

$3.39 NPR 522

236.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿576

$8.18 NPR 1,260

109.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,778

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿258

$2.88 NPR 443

165.63%

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

$555 ฿18.7K

$64.9 NPR 9,994

754.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

$4,830 NPR 743.6K

133.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,135

$25.63 NPR 3,946

147.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿963

$26.15 NPR 4,026

9.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,256

$62.8 NPR 9,669

54.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,983

$28.36 NPR 4,367

212.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿40.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.72

-42.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bhaktapur: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $20.00 in Bhaktapur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $123 – 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 304%, 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 $1,785 per month in Phuket and $442 in Bhaktapur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,190 in Phuket and $295 in Bhaktapur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Phuket and $64.9 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 $295, than in Phuket at $1,190. 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.