Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bodo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bodo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $2,307 in Bodo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $3,622 in Bodo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $4,936 in Bodo, rent included.

Phuket is about 46% cheaper than Bodo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Bodo is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$19.10 NOK 184

-76.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$101 NOK 972

-54.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$15.87 NOK 153

-44.30%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.80 NOK 55.9

-47.24%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$3.62 NOK 34.86

-79.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$2.96 NOK 28.54

-86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$11.20 NOK 108

-78.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$10.61 NOK 102

-64.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.22 NOK 21.45

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.83 NOK 27.30

-36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.22 NOK 31.06

-30.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$4.67 NOK 44.99

-51.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.24 NOK 118

59.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$16.55 NOK 160

-77.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$15.96 NOK 154

-18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.07 NOK 29.60

5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.31 NOK 22.31

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$3.01 NOK 29.05

-20.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$5.61 NOK 54.1

-63.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.55 NOK 24.58

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.58 NOK 24.93

-41.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$3.66 NOK 35.25

-73.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$2.12 NOK 20.47

-75.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$14.36 NOK 139

-69.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$19.32 NOK 186

-5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.09 NOK 29.76

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$3.77 NOK 36.39

-28.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$4.38 NOK 42.20

-67.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$53.4 NOK 515

-78.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$9.23 NOK 89.0

-66.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.41 NOK 13.56

-26.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$46.43 NOK 448

-69.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$2.13 NOK 20.56

-38.50%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$35.7K NOK 344.4K

-22.12%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$37.8K NOK 364.1K

-12.02%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$143 NOK 1,379

-14.40%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$24.74 NOK 239

-45.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$62.7 NOK 605

-70.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$48.17 NOK 464

25.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$35.10 NOK 338

-51.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$13.41 NOK 129

-32.36%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$389 NOK 3,749

81.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$10.2K NOK 97.9K

55.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$71.6 NOK 690

-18.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$52.3 NOK 505

-32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$107 NOK 1,029

8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$153 NOK 1,479

-45.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$977 NOK 9,420

-35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$909 NOK 8,767

-51.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$2,103 NOK 20.3K

-2.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,643 NOK 15.8K

-9.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$6,187 NOK 59.7K

-43.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$3,413 NOK 32.9K

-85.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.8

40.26%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bodo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $977 in Bodo. 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 583% higher in Bodo, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $101 in Bodo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $433 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bodo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bodo costs about 85% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $3,461 in Bodo. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $2,307 in Bodo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 357% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Bodo at $2,307. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bodo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $2,307 in Bodo. 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, Bodo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.