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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,529 in Bodo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $4,075 in Bodo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $5,622 in Bodo, rent included.

Phuket is about 51% cheaper than Bodo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Bodo is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$24.78 NOK 233

-82.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$128 NOK 1,202

-74.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$24.98 NOK 235

-64.25%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$6.58 NOK 62.0

-55.93%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$4.71 NOK 44.37

-81.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$3.15 NOK 29.68

-84.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$12.45 NOK 117

-81.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$15.72 NOK 148

-76.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.43 NOK 22.89

-23.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$4.44 NOK 41.83

-66.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$4.26 NOK 40.11

-63.62%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$5.41 NOK 51.0

-61.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$12.69 NOK 120

54.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$19.71 NOK 186

-82.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$22.15 NOK 209

-48.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.60 NOK 33.95

-17.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.73 NOK 25.71

-38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$4.80 NOK 45.23

-53.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$6.53 NOK 61.5

-66.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$3.15 NOK 29.67

-51.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$3.06 NOK 28.83

-56.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.96 NOK 27.94

-61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.52 NOK 23.74

-78.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$15.28 NOK 144

-72.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$20.67 NOK 195

-7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$3.84 NOK 36.21

-53.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$4.71 NOK 44.39

-40.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$4.60 NOK 43.31

-51.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$73.9 NOK 696

-69.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$9.46 NOK 89.1

-67.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.76 NOK 16.54

-42.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.36 NOK 22.21

-36.86%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

$178 NOK 1,675

-42.37%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$42.72 NOK 403

-73.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$70.0 NOK 660

-75.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$52.7 NOK 497

-1.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$14.10 NOK 133

-45.46%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$256 NOK 2,410

119.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$91.8 NOK 865

-31.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$54.6 NOK 514

-45.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$105 NOK 992

-6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,208 NOK 11.4K

-38.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$909 NOK 8,563

-46.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$2,338 NOK 22.0K

-9.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,861 NOK 17.5K

-34.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$6,351 NOK 59.8K

-43.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,607 NOK 34.0K

-86.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.67

19.27%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bodo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,208 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 631% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $128 in Bodo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $524 – 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 105% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $3,794 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $2,529 in Bodo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 225% 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 $1,232, than in Bodo at $2,529. 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 $1,232 versus $2,529 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.