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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $706 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,099 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,492 in Bonao.

Living in Phuket is roughly 79% more expensive than in Bonao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Bonao 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.59 DOP 325

-19.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$27.06 DOP 1,572

68.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.00 DOP 291

75.20%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.00 DOP 116

48.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.02 DOP 59.4

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.83 DOP 48.08

-53.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.40 DOP 140

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.12 DOP 181

20.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.35 DOP 78.4

59.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.42 DOP 82.4

28.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.96 DOP 55.5

127.08%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.57 DOP 91.5

43.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.03 DOP 408

184.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.56 DOP 323

-34.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$11.07 DOP 643

22.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.26 DOP 131

43.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.65 DOP 37.82

152.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.26 DOP 132

3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.33 DOP 77.3

55.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.20 DOP 128

-29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.14 DOP 66.3

28.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.76 DOP 44.38

28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.57 DOP 33.37

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.61 DOP 326

-22.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.23 DOP 420

156.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.37 DOP 137

-21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.26 DOP 189

-18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.53 DOP 31.06

167.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$27.16 DOP 1,578

-57.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.30 DOP 192

-3.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.10 DOP 122

-50.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$2.42 DOP 140

473.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.20 DOP 69.9

11.67%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

4.73%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

3.23%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$76.8 DOP 4,460

60.33%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$25.53 DOP 1,484

-46.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$34.39 DOP 1,998

-46.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$17.13 DOP 995

254.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.58 DOP 150

243.80%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$268 DOP 15.6K

156.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

97.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$60.5 DOP 3,514

-1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$51.0 DOP 2,964

-31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$34.22 DOP 1,989

236.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$33.36 DOP 1,938

151.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$142 DOP 8,231

338.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$101 DOP 5,866

341.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$289 DOP 16.8K

603.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$215 DOP 12.5K

597.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bonao: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $142 in Bonao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Bonao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $202 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 79% in total monthly costs ($1,264 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 $1,896 in Phuket and $1,059 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: $621 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 135% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $268 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,264 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 79% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.