Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boroko Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boroko

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,113 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,551 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,990 in Boroko, rent included.

Phuket costs about 11% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Boroko are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Boroko 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.87 PGK 34.32

-41.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$38.12 PGK 166

22.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$5.88 PGK 25.66

50.34%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$2.23 PGK 9.71

34.53%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$0.76 PGK 3.29

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.85 PGK 3.72

-56.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$2.35 PGK 10.26

3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$3.99 PGK 17.39

-9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.67 PGK 7.28

35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$1.29 PGK 5.63

42.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$1.28 PGK 5.56

75.00%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$3.78 PGK 16.49

-38.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$4.48 PGK 19.53

339.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.26 PGK 27.31

-41.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$6.94 PGK 30.26

88.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$4.03 PGK 17.58

-15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$2.96 PGK 12.93

-44.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$3.01 PGK 13.12

-19.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$2.95 PGK 12.86

-31.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$3.09 PGK 13.46

-49.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$0.92 PGK 4.00

63.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$1.18 PGK 5.12

-13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.49 PGK 2.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$6.07 PGK 26.46

-26.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$5.13 PGK 22.38

268.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$1.22 PGK 5.30

45.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$1.65 PGK 7.21

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$0.47 PGK 2.04

197.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

$31.71 PGK 138

-63.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$4.72 PGK 20.59

-33.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$1.46 PGK 6.35

-31.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$12.11 PGK 52.8

16.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$0.81 PGK 3.52

66.67%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$22.9K PGK 100.1K

18.45%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.1K PGK 109.5K

31.13%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$66.9 PGK 291

86.93%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$48.14 PGK 210

-71.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$244 PGK 1,066

-92.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$46.12 PGK 201

33.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$15.32 PGK 66.8

9.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$7.41 PGK 32.30

24.02%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$356 PGK 1,550

96.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$2,352 PGK 10.3K

562.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$31.23 PGK 136

84.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$14.33 PGK 62.5

145.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$48.29 PGK 211

134.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$28.30 PGK 123

205.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$3,535 PGK 15.4K

-82.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$243 PGK 1,059

83.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$3,574 PGK 15.6K

-42.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$241 PGK 1,050

519.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$363 PGK 1,582

44.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-51.55%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Boroko: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $3,535 in Boroko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 44% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $222 – making Boroko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Boroko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 11% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,669 in Boroko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boroko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $356 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boroko, where all-in costs run around $1,113, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Boroko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $1,113 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Boroko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.