Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bismarck, ND Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bismarck, ND

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,515 in Bismarck, ND.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $3,438 in Bismarck, ND.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $4,360 in Bismarck, ND.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 50% less than in Bismarck, ND, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Bismarck, ND is 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$42.84 $42.84

-89.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$74.5 $74.5

-37.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$14.51 $14.51

-40.18%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$5.23 $5.23

-43.59%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$2.38 $2.38

-70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$1.80 $1.80

-78.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$6.03 $6.03

-58.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$6.86 $6.86

-44.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.07 $1.07

107.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$2.69 $2.69

-33.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$4.42 $4.42

-50.45%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$4.25 $4.25

-45.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$12.02 $12.02

60.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$14.44 $14.44

-73.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$15.14 $15.14

-12.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$4.93 $4.93

-32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.61 $1.61

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$4.35 $4.35

-47.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$4.60 $4.60

-56.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$2.86 $2.86

-46.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$2.80 $2.80

-46.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$2.10 $2.10

-50.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$2.20 $2.20

-76.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$8.23 $8.23

-46.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$20.09 $20.09

-3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.90 $1.90

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$3.37 $3.37

-20.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$1.98 $1.98

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$3.53 $3.53

-13.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$1.60 $1.60

-35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$29.34 $29.34

-53.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$0.82 $0.82

58.54%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$29.2K $29.2K

-4.59%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$25.8K $25.8K

28.12%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$187 $187

-34.27%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$69.0 $69.0

-79.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$92.5 $92.5

-79.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$43.25 $43.25

41.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$13.31 $13.31

-33.36%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$1,317 $1,317

-47.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$23.8K $23.8K

-32.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$52.0 $52.0

14.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$40.23 $40.23

-13.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$67.0 $67.0

69.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$113 $113

-24.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$1,218 $1,218

-49.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$1,011 $1,011

-55.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$1,608 $1,608

29.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$1,160 $1,160

28.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$2,078 $2,078

79.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$2,017 $2,017

31.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$3,878 $3,878

-86.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.13

-25.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Bismarck, ND: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,218 in Bismarck, ND. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bismarck, ND pays 627% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $75 in Bismarck, ND for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $406 per month, with Phuket 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 Bismarck, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bismarck, ND differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($1,270 vs $2,515 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bismarck, ND earns 627% less. 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: $615 in Phuket versus $1,218 in Bismarck, ND. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $1,317 in Bismarck, ND. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $75.0 in Bismarck, ND. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,515 in Bismarck, ND, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bismarck, ND. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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 Bismarck, ND 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Bismarck, ND. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.