Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bihac Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bihac

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $983 in Bihac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,455 in Bihac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,927 in Bihac.

Living in Phuket is roughly 27% more expensive than in Bihac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Bihac 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.26 BAM 12.43

-37.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$29.94 BAM 51.3

54.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.57 BAM 9.53

58.71%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.20 BAM 2.06

155.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.15 BAM 1.96

-36.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.89 BAM 1.52

-55.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.50 BAM 2.56

62.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.81 BAM 3.10

108.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.38 BAM 2.37

63.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.05 BAM 1.80

72.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.30 BAM 3.95

-2.17%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.80 BAM 4.80

-19.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.08 BAM 17.27

93.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.41 BAM 12.69

-50.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.20 BAM 19.18

16.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.82 BAM 3.11

77.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.69 BAM 2.89

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.91 BAM 3.28

24.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.03 BAM 3.48

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.19 BAM 2.05

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.45 BAM 2.48

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.96 BAM 1.65

2.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.91 BAM 1.56

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.60 BAM 6.16

23.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.15 BAM 13.96

124.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.25 BAM 2.13

48.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.08 BAM 3.56

28.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.76 BAM 3.02

-19.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$35.05 BAM 60.0

-66.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.21 BAM 2.07

157.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.82 BAM 1.41

26.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$10.75 BAM 18.42

31.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-11.49%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

17.82%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

28.31%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$205 BAM 350

-40.13%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$18.94 BAM 32.44

-28.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$21.90 BAM 37.51

-14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$29.93 BAM 51.3

102.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$10.82 BAM 18.53

56.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.71 BAM 9.77

58.84%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$146 BAM 250

383.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,926 BAM 5,012

440.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$29.42 BAM 50.4

99.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$17.60 BAM 30.15

100.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$99.6 BAM 171

15.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$118 BAM 202

-28.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$223 BAM 382

180.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$210 BAM 359

112.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$308 BAM 528

561.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$284 BAM 487

424.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,486 BAM 2,545

134.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,316 BAM 2,253

95.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$773 BAM 1,324

-35.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.14

28.74%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bihac: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $223 in Bihac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Bihac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $231 per month, with Bihac cheaper across the board.

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 Bihac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bihac differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $983 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Bihac. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $223 in Bihac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bihac – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $983 in Bihac – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Bihac versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bihac but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bihac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bihac are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bihac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.