🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,478 in Bjelovar.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,304 in Bjelovar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,131 in Bjelovar.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 15% less than in Bjelovar, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Bjelovar is 10% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$12.82€11.05
-64.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$68.5€59.0
-31.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$10.52€9.07
-19.49%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$2.23€1.92
35.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$3.58€3.09
-80.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$2.17€1.87
-82.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$4.29€3.70
-41.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$4.83€4.16
-24.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.20€1.03
81.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.57€1.35
21.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$3.97€3.42
-44.58%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.53€3.04
-37.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$16.11€13.88
24.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$11.10€9.56
-67.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$14.41€12.42
-8.05%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.60€1.38
101.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.67€1.44
1.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.73€1.49
38.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.50€2.15
-16.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.24€1.07
28.23%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.27€1.09
16.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.09€0.94
-5.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$1.22€1.05
-57.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$5.86€5.05
-27.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$8.06€6.95
133.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.60€1.37
10.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.03€1.75
35.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$1.78€1.53
-23.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$43.24€37.26
-73.73%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$3.02€2.60
3.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$1.37€1.18
-24.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$9.11€7.85
51.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.63€1.40
-17.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$38.5K€33.2K
-28.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$26.5K€22.9K
27.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$190€164
-35.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$22.15€19.08
-38.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$32.66€28.14
-42.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$52.5€45.27
17.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$14.58€12.56
18.31%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$9.17€7.90
-0.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$294€253
139.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$8,148€7,020
94.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$57.4€49.43
3.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$34.62€29.83
1.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$100€86.2
15.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$104€89.7
-19.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$658€567
-6.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$457€394
-5.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$1,049€904
96.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$788€679
91.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$3,720€3,205
-1.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$3,450€2,973
-23.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bjelovar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.63
15.12%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Bjelovar: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $658 in Bjelovar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Bjelovar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $296 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 Bjelovar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Bjelovar?
Phuket and Bjelovar differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,478 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Bjelovar?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $2,217 in Bjelovar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Bjelovar?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $658 in Bjelovar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $69.0 in Bjelovar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Bjelovar?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,478 in Bjelovar – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,478 in Bjelovar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bjelovar. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Bjelovar?
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.
Is Phuket or Bjelovar safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Bjelovar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Bjelovar?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bjelovar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.