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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,126 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,565 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,004 in Boroko, rent included.

Phuket costs about 12% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Boroko are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Boroko 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$8.01 PGK 35.36

-44.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$39.06 PGK 172

16.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.83 PGK 25.72

50.26%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.29 PGK 10.12

29.69%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.82 PGK 3.61

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.79 PGK 3.47

-50.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.47 PGK 10.90

2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.10 PGK 18.08

-8.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.71 PGK 7.54

25.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.30 PGK 5.74

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.32 PGK 5.84

65.15%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.94 PGK 17.40

-42.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.40 PGK 19.42

354.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.37 PGK 28.13

-43.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$6.90 PGK 30.44

96.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.94 PGK 17.37

-17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.96 PGK 13.06

-44.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.00 PGK 13.22

-22.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.89 PGK 12.77

-28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$3.18 PGK 14.05

-51.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.93 PGK 4.11

56.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.17 PGK 5.16

-16.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.47 PGK 2.06

2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.09 PGK 26.89

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.08 PGK 22.42

265.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.23 PGK 5.44

51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.66 PGK 7.30

59.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.47 PGK 2.07

202.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$32.62 PGK 144

-64.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.83 PGK 21.32

-34.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.45 PGK 6.41

-28.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$11.79 PGK 52.0

17.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.86 PGK 3.81

55.81%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$22.8K PGK 100.8K

21.71%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$24.3K PGK 107.3K

37.33%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$66.2 PGK 292

85.76%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$46.81 PGK 207

-70.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$236 PGK 1,041

-92.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$45.07 PGK 199

34.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$15.53 PGK 68.5

10.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.17 PGK 31.62

23.71%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$365 PGK 1,611

88.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$2,428 PGK 10.7K

549.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$31.84 PGK 140

86.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$14.61 PGK 64.5

137.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$47.19 PGK 208

144.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$28.51 PGK 126

193.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$3,607 PGK 15.9K

-82.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$236 PGK 1,043

88.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$3,633 PGK 16.0K

-44.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$237 PGK 1,046

531.17%

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

$363 PGK 1,603

35.89%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Boroko: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $3,607 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 36% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 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 12% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,689 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 $688 per month in Phuket and $365 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,126, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $1,126 versus $1,264 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.