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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $695 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,087 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,480 in Bonao.

Living in Phuket is roughly 82% more expensive than Bonao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Bonao 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.60 DOP 328

-18.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$26.70 DOP 1,564

74.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.98 DOP 292

70.08%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.97 DOP 116

53.81%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.00 DOP 58.5

-31.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.84 DOP 49.08

-55.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.44 DOP 143

2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.12 DOP 183

17.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.38 DOP 80.8

57.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.41 DOP 82.8

34.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.95 DOP 55.4

131.58%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.60 DOP 93.9

38.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.17 DOP 420

178.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.55 DOP 325

-34.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.70 DOP 627

23.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.34 DOP 137

38.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.60 DOP 35.19

183.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.21 DOP 130

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.32 DOP 77.4

57.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.21 DOP 129

-28.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.15 DOP 67.1

28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.80 DOP 47.12

28.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.57 DOP 33.13

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.67 DOP 332

-25.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$7.22 DOP 423

160.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.48 DOP 145

-29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.26 DOP 191

-15.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.55 DOP 32.04

147.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$26.88 DOP 1,574

-57.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.38 DOP 198

-7.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.20 DOP 129

-52.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.49 DOP 146

453.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.27 DOP 74.1

5.51%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

2.95%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

8.96%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$74.8 DOP 4,384

65.16%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$25.29 DOP 1,482

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$34.04 DOP 1,994

-45.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$17.29 DOP 1,013

257.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$2.59 DOP 152

252.90%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$264 DOP 15.5K

166.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,104 DOP 474.7K

95.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$60.8 DOP 3,564

-2.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$51.8 DOP 3,034

-32.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$34.31 DOP 2,010

235.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$34.16 DOP 2,001

146.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$147 DOP 8,582

322.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$102 DOP 5,992

322.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$292 DOP 17.1K

605.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$215 DOP 12.6K

603.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bonao: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $147 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 $293 vs $203 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 82% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $695 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,042 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: $619 in Phuket versus $147 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 137% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $264 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Bonao versus $1,261 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 82% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.