Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bodrum Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bodrum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,133 in Bodrum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,744 in Bodrum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,356 in Bodrum.

Living in Phuket is roughly 12% more expensive than in Bodrum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Bodrum 15% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48 ฿150
$7.51 ₺356
-40.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59 ฿1,525
$29.23 ₺1,384
55.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$6.83 ₺324
28.26%
Cappuccino
$2.97 ฿99.3
$2.66 ₺126
11.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.96
$1.68 ₺79.5
-58.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿13.07
$0.91 ₺42.96
-57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.7
$2.97 ₺141
-14.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿125
$4.04 ₺191
-7.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 ฿71.8
$0.89 ₺42.21
141.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 ฿60.7
$0.60 ₺28.27
203.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 ฿73.1
$1.49 ₺70.7
46.31%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.2
$1.77 ₺83.7
27.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.00 ฿669
$8.21 ₺389
143.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿121
$5.53 ₺262
-34.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 ฿453
$18.96 ₺898
-28.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 ฿109
$1.14 ₺53.9
184.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿54.7
$2.09 ₺98.8
-21.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ฿78.0
$1.06 ₺50.2
119.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 ฿69.3
$1.11 ₺52.6
86.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.8
$0.56 ₺26.67
176.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.67
$0.42 ₺20.02
247.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.94
$1.25 ₺59.3
-21.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.13
$0.34 ₺16.11
41.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 ฿146
$2.13 ₺101
104.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.57 ฿621
$12.91 ₺611
43.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.1
$1.72 ₺81.3
8.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ฿88.8
$2.05 ₺97.3
29.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 ฿47.40
$0.63 ₺29.81
125.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.57 ฿387
$30.58 ₺1,448
-62.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 ฿106
$3.03 ₺144
4.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ฿34.51
$0.65 ₺30.79
58.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.89 ฿465
$7.53 ₺357
84.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿44.96
$1.17 ₺55.5
14.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿929.6K
$40.8K ₺1.9M
-31.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K ฿1.1M
$41.4K ₺2.0M
-19.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿4,116
$48.79 ₺2,311
152.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77 ฿461
$7.84 ₺371
75.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33 ฿613
$12.45 ₺589
47.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.7 ฿2,030
$90.3 ₺4,278
-32.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16 ฿574
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 ฿297
$6.46 ₺306
37.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 ฿23.0K
$678 ₺32.1K
1.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿527.8K
$11.6K ₺548.0K
36.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 ฿1,984
$75.7 ₺3,586
-21.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69 ฿1,160
$45.50 ₺2,155
-23.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,853
$129 ₺6,109
-10.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 ฿2,802
$112 ₺5,328
-25.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$621 ฿20.8K
$1,420 ₺67.2K
-56.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 ฿14.9K
$389 ₺18.4K
14.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 ฿68.0K
$893 ₺42.3K
127.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 ฿50.0K
$708 ₺33.5K
111.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,455 ฿115.6K
$3,049 ₺144.4K
13.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,531 ฿84.7K
$2,547 ₺120.6K
-0.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bodrum
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.5K
$1,077 ₺51.0K
-54.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
42.08
-87.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bodrum: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,420 in Bodrum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bodrum pays 118% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Bodrum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $215 per month, with Bodrum 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 Bodrum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Bodrum?
Bodrum wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bodrum the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Bodrum?
On paper, salaries run 118% lower in Bodrum. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Bodrum?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $1,420 in Bodrum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Bodrum?
A monthly transit pass in Bodrum runs roughly 164% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Bodrum?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $678 in Bodrum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Bodrum?
At $1,133 in Bodrum versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bodrum but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bodrum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Bodrum?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bodrum delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,133 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bodrum hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Bodrum?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Bodrum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bodrum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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