Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and BonaoCost 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: Phuket8% lower, Bonao47% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$5.63DOP 333
-17.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$27.24DOP 1,609
71.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$5.03DOP 297
75.75%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$1.96DOP 116
53.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.99DOP 58.5
-25.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.79DOP 46.97
-53.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.41DOP 142
1.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.03DOP 179
19.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.37DOP 81.2
64.96%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.42DOP 84.1
29.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$0.94DOP 55.8
138.30%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.60DOP 94.5
45.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$7.32DOP 432
168.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$5.68DOP 336
-35.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$10.86DOP 641
20.63%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.34DOP 139
44.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$0.64DOP 37.65
156.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.27DOP 134
6.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.32DOP 78.3
53.79%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.17DOP 128
-28.11%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.13DOP 66.7
32.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.76DOP 44.64
34.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.54DOP 31.64
-9.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$5.75DOP 340
-22.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$7.24DOP 428
160.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.47DOP 146
-27.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.23DOP 191
-14.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.57DOP 33.90
145.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$27.60DOP 1,631
-58.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.36DOP 199
-7.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.19DOP 130
-54.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$2.43DOP 144
479.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.21DOP 71.7
11.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$26.1KDOP 1.5M
3.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$32.3KDOP 1.9M
1.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$75.4DOP 4,453
65.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$25.18DOP 1,488
-46.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$34.52DOP 2,040
-46.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$16.85DOP 996
264.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$2.48DOP 147
270.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$265DOP 15.7K
163.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$8,245DOP 487.2K
89.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$60.7DOP 3,584
-4.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$51.3DOP 3,029
-31.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$33.37DOP 1,972
238.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$33.79DOP 1,997
155.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$142DOP 8,395
333.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$103DOP 6,092
332.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$288DOP 17.0K
610.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$216DOP 12.8K
590.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bonao
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12
-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
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Bonao?
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.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Bonao?
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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Bonao?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and Bonao?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Bonao?
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.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
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.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Bonao?
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 Bonao safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Bonao?
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.