Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bonao Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bonao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $706 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,089 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,472 in Bonao.

Living in Phuket is roughly 75% more expensive than Bonao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bonao 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$5.63 DOP 333

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$27.24 DOP 1,609

71.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.03 DOP 297

75.75%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.96 DOP 116

53.06%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.99 DOP 58.5

-25.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.79 DOP 46.97

-53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.41 DOP 142

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.03 DOP 179

19.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.37 DOP 81.2

64.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.42 DOP 84.1

29.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.94 DOP 55.8

138.30%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.60 DOP 94.5

45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.32 DOP 432

168.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.68 DOP 336

-35.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.86 DOP 641

20.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.34 DOP 139

44.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.64 DOP 37.65

156.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.27 DOP 134

6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.32 DOP 78.3

53.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.17 DOP 128

-28.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.13 DOP 66.7

32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.76 DOP 44.64

34.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.54 DOP 31.64

-9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.75 DOP 340

-22.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$7.24 DOP 428

160.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.47 DOP 146

-27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.23 DOP 191

-14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.57 DOP 33.90

145.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$27.60 DOP 1,631

-58.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.36 DOP 199

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.19 DOP 130

-54.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$2.43 DOP 144

479.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.21 DOP 71.7

11.57%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

3.99%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

1.90%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$75.4 DOP 4,453

65.82%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$25.18 DOP 1,488

-46.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$34.52 DOP 2,040

-46.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$16.85 DOP 996

264.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.48 DOP 147

270.56%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$265 DOP 15.7K

163.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,245 DOP 487.2K

89.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$60.7 DOP 3,584

-4.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$51.3 DOP 3,029

-31.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$33.37 DOP 1,972

238.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$33.79 DOP 1,997

155.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$142 DOP 8,395

333.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$103 DOP 6,092

332.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$288 DOP 17.0K

610.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$216 DOP 12.8K

590.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bonao: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $142 in Bonao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Bonao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $204 per month, with Bonao 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 Bonao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bonao differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $706 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,058 in Bonao 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $142 in Bonao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 140% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $265 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao 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 Bonao 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 Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.