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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $406 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $673 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $940 in Bosaso.

Living in Phuket is roughly 201% more expensive than Bosaso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bosaso 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$2.01 SOS 1,144

124.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$10.05 SOS 5,709

363.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$5.06 SOS 2,874

67.79%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.22 SOS 696

152.46%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.98 SOS 558

-30.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.54 SOS 307

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$2.43 SOS 1,382

-9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.02 SOS 579

77.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.97 SOS 553

129.90%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.85 SOS 1,050

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$6.02 SOS 3,421

225.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$6.33 SOS 3,598

-41.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$5.62 SOS 3,193

139.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.54 SOS 2,011

-5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$3.42 SOS 1,945

-52.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.95 SOS 1,676

-18.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.96 SOS 1,113

1.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.95 SOS 1,109

-21.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.98 SOS 557

47.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.61 SOS 917

-70.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.31 SOS 178

358.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.49 SOS 846

101.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.58 SOS 330

81.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$2.92 SOS 1,660

376.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.02 SOS 582

26.47%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$4,062 SOS 2.3M

590.12%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$8,887 SOS 5.0M

276.99%

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

$122 ฿3,964

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

$13.93 ฿453

$9.83 SOS 5,582

41.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$31.57 SOS 17.9K

-40.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$10.98 SOS 6,237

426.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$14.73 SOS 8,365

140.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$12.83 SOS 7,285

783.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$14.73 SOS 8,364

463.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$123 SOS 70.1K

391.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

430.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$199 SOS 112.9K

920.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$190 SOS 107.7K

687.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$29.5K SOS 16.8M

-87.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$298 SOS 169.1K

69.55%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $123 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 70% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Bosaso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $199 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 201% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $406 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 70% more on average, 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: $607 in Phuket versus $123 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $406 in Bosaso – a 201% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $406 in Bosaso versus $1,223 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 201% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.