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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,003 in Bihac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,450 in Bihac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,897 in Bihac.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than in Bihac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bihac 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$7.03 BAM 11.85

-33.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$29.80 BAM 50.2

8.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.81 BAM 9.80

49.40%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.18 BAM 1.98

145.76%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.22 BAM 2.05

-31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.88 BAM 1.47

-44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.52 BAM 2.56

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.81 BAM 3.04

106.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.34 BAM 2.25

41.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.07 BAM 1.80

31.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.34 BAM 3.94

-30.77%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.11 BAM 5.24

-27.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.95 BAM 16.77

99.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$7.54 BAM 12.70

-53.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$11.67 BAM 19.66

-2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.79 BAM 3.02

62.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.73 BAM 2.92

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.40 BAM 4.04

-5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$2.04 BAM 3.44

4.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.16 BAM 1.96

26.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.45 BAM 2.44

-2.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.92 BAM 1.55

19.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.86 BAM 1.44

-30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.62 BAM 6.10

19.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$8.33 BAM 14.03

123.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.35 BAM 2.28

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.06 BAM 3.48

44.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$1.35 BAM 2.27

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$35.81 BAM 60.3

-34.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.22 BAM 2.05

154.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.02 BAM 1.72

5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$10.48 BAM 17.66

-63.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.48 BAM 2.49

-3.38%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$32.1K BAM 54.1K

-13.46%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$22.5K BAM 37.9K

19.94%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$213 BAM 359

-50.75%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$19.02 BAM 32.04

-40.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$22.27 BAM 37.52

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$33.85 BAM 57.0

60.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$12.03 BAM 20.27

-4.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.60 BAM 9.43

38.93%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$147 BAM 247

292.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,041 BAM 6,808

186.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$29.21 BAM 49.22

117.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$17.64 BAM 29.73

64.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$100 BAM 169

-4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$122 BAM 205

-25.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$220 BAM 370

233.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$208 BAM 351

140.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$306 BAM 516

593.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$284 BAM 478

341.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,503 BAM 2,532

135.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,357 BAM 2,286

93.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$816 BAM 1,375

-37.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.3

29.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bihac: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $220 in Bihac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Bihac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $235 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,003 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 61% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $220 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,003 in Bihac – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Bihac versus $1,265 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 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.