Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bosaso Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bosaso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $413 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $688 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $964 in Bosaso.

Living in Phuket is roughly 206% more expensive than in Bosaso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Bosaso 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.04 SOS 1,155

119.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$9.95 SOS 5,640

358.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.05 SOS 2,861

73.47%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.22 SOS 693

143.44%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.02 SOS 576

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.55 SOS 312

-29.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.55 SOS 1,446

-15.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.97 SOS 551

87.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.02 SOS 579

113.73%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.84 SOS 1,043

22.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$5.94 SOS 3,368

236.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.63 SOS 3,758

-45.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.59 SOS 3,171

142.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.60 SOS 2,039

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$3.53 SOS 1,999

-53.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.02 SOS 1,710

-22.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.96 SOS 1,110

5.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.98 SOS 1,122

-21.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.02 SOS 578

43.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.63 SOS 926

-70.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.31 SOS 178

358.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.48 SOS 842

114.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.58 SOS 329

77.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$2.96 SOS 1,677

369.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.03 SOS 581

30.10%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$4,042 SOS 2.3M

587.48%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$8,963 SOS 5.1M

272.41%

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

$123 ฿4,105

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

$13.77 ฿459

$9.83 SOS 5,574

40.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$31.63 SOS 17.9K

-42.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$11.06 SOS 6,274

436.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$15.08 SOS 8,548

130.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$12.92 SOS 7,328

791.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$15.28 SOS 8,662

448.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$127 SOS 72.1K

388.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$83.8 SOS 47.5K

432.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$203 SOS 115.3K

900.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$192 SOS 109.1K

677.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$30.3K SOS 17.2M

-88.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$304 SOS 172.3K

62.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.57

-37.81%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $127 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Bosaso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $203 per month, with Bosaso 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 Bosaso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bosaso differ by about 206% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $413 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $127 in Bosaso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $413 in Bosaso – a 206% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $413 in Bosaso versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bosaso but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bosaso 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 Bosaso 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 Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 206% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.