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 $895 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,299 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,703 in Boroko, rent included.

Phuket costs about 38% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Boroko are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Boroko 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.22 PGK 31.39

-38.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$35.76 PGK 155

-9.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.51 PGK 23.93

62.07%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.55 PGK 11.07

13.73%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.73 PGK 3.16

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.65 PGK 2.82

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.75 PGK 11.94

-14.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.55 PGK 15.41

4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.62 PGK 7.02

15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.16 PGK 5.06

26.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.25 PGK 5.42

24.00%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.61 PGK 15.68

-41.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$4.99 PGK 21.67

292.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.08 PGK 22.07

-32.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$6.66 PGK 28.95

70.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.15 PGK 18.03

-28.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$3.02 PGK 13.13

-44.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.84 PGK 12.33

-22.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.64 PGK 11.46

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.87 PGK 12.47

-47.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.93 PGK 4.04

44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.11 PGK 4.82

1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.43 PGK 1.89

27.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.52 PGK 23.98

-22.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$5.02 PGK 21.80

280.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.15 PGK 4.99

54.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.60 PGK 6.94

73.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.47 PGK 2.03

374.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$30.66 PGK 133

-25.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.42 PGK 19.21

-31.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.37 PGK 5.94

-25.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$11.14 PGK 48.39

-65.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.76 PGK 3.29

96.05%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$21.2K PGK 91.9K

25.66%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$17.5K PGK 76.0K

54.52%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$63.1 PGK 274

62.39%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$23.42 PGK 102

-51.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$92.3 PGK 401

-81.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$42.37 PGK 184

22.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$14.39 PGK 62.5

-23.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.81 PGK 29.58

12.92%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$341 PGK 1,483

64.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,221 PGK 9,650

418.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$33.27 PGK 145

89.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$13.67 PGK 59.4

115.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$45.18 PGK 196

116.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$27.12 PGK 118

226.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$3,340 PGK 14.5K

-77.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$224 PGK 971

115.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$3,407 PGK 14.8K

-38.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$225 PGK 977

444.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$355 PGK 1,544

38.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Boroko: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $3,340 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 39% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Boroko. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $210 in Boroko – so Boroko wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 38% 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 $1,343 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 $561 per month in Phuket and $341 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $895, 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 $895 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.