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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $298 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $493 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $687 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Phuket costs about 323% more than Bhaktapur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Bhaktapur are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Bhaktapur 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$1.94 NPR 297

128.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$19.91 NPR 3,047

76.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$3.23 NPR 495

177.40%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$0.94 NPR 144

219.15%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.49 NPR 75.7

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.14 NPR 21.44

235.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.61 NPR 247

49.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$1.66 NPR 254

125.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.70 NPR 106

160.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.45 NPR 68.7

215.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$0.91 NPR 140

70.33%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.59 NPR 243

33.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$3.35 NPR 512

489.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.17 NPR 486

9.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$5.48 NPR 838

102.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.07 NPR 317

40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.12 NPR 171

48.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.33 NPR 203

70.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$0.57 NPR 87.4

268.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.39 NPR 59.4

276.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.51 NPR 78.8

176.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.38 NPR 57.7

186.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.21 NPR 32.09

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.66 NPR 408

68.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$5.76 NPR 882

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$2.34 NPR 358

-21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$1.67 NPR 255

76.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.93 NPR 295

57.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.16 NPR 178

-6.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$3.22 NPR 494

18.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.37 NPR 210

8.76%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$29.7K NPR 4.5M

-7.62%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$37.0K NPR 5.7M

-25.63%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$32.23 NPR 4,934

215.89%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$3.67 NPR 562

207.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$7.88 NPR 1,206

125.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$2.86 NPR 438

174.48%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$65.4 NPR 10.0K

782.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$4,982 NPR 762.6K

133.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$26.61 NPR 4,073

145.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$28.13 NPR 4,306

2.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$67.5 NPR 10.3K

46.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$32.64 NPR 4,996

176.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.11

-44.91%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Bhaktapur: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket versus $20.00 in Bhaktapur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $122 – 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 323%, 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 $1,891 per month in Phuket and $447 in Bhaktapur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $298 in Bhaktapur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Phuket and $65.4 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 $298, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.