Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bialystok Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bialystok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,405 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,014 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,622 in Bialystok, rent included.

Phuket is about 10% cheaper than Bialystok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Bialystok is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.65 zł 35.19

-51.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$48.53 zł 177

-6.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.01 zł 29.21

5.24%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.11 zł 11.33

-5.79%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.92 zł 7.01

-64.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.63 zł 5.93

-77.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.35 zł 12.23

-28.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.01 zł 10.95

23.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.03 zł 3.76

116.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.18 zł 4.31

55.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.17 zł 4.25

85.47%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.04 zł 11.07

-27.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.45 zł 30.78

133.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.00 zł 21.86

-39.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.64 zł 38.80

27.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.90 zł 3.27

264.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.72 zł 6.29

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.73 zł 6.31

39.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.12 zł 7.72

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.92 zł 3.36

66.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.02 zł 3.72

45.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.20 zł 4.37

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.60 zł 2.18

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.30 zł 19.33

-16.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.64 zł 24.22

191.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.24 zł 4.53

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.61 zł 5.88

68.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.06 zł 3.86

29.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$35.70 zł 130

-68.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.14 zł 7.79

41.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.49 zł 1.78

102.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$12.39 zł 45.17

13.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.67 zł 6.09

-18.56%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$34.2K zł 124.6K

-17.52%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.6K zł 108.0K

11.08%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$308 zł 1,122

-60.45%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$8.13 zł 29.62

66.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$16.79 zł 61.2

9.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$37.15 zł 135

62.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$19.18 zł 69.9

-10.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.92 zł 25.24

25.58%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$339 zł 1,234

104.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$9,355 zł 34.1K

67.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$92.0 zł 335

-35.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$30.51 zł 111

13.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$74.5 zł 271

53.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$94.4 zł 344

-11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$533 zł 1,942

15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$485 zł 1,768

-9.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$855 zł 3,117

144.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$724 zł 2,638

108.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,809 zł 10.2K

33.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,480 zł 9,042

5.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,569 zł 5,720

-67.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.47

-17.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $533 in Bialystok. 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 209% higher in Bialystok, 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 $49.00 in Bialystok. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $198 in Bialystok – so Bialystok wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bialystok costs about 11% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,107 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $339 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 48% cheaper in Bialystok – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Bialystok at $1,405. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bialystok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,405 in Bialystok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bialystok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.