Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bourges

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,946 in Bourges, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Bourges, France
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Bourges
🇫🇷 France
$1,946
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Bourges

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Bourges actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,946 in Bourges.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Bourges $1,946

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,021 in Bourges.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Bourges $3,021

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $4,097 in Bourges.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Bourges $4,097

Living in Phuket costs roughly 34% less than in Bourges, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Bourges is 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$17.13 €15.35
-73.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$79.4 €71.2
-59.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$13.63 €12.22
-35.36%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$5.27 €4.72
-46.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.42
$4.44 €3.98
-80.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.66
$2.72 €2.44
-81.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$7.95 €7.13
-67.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$6.77 €6.07
-45.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.14 €1.02
45.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.32
$2.47 €2.22
-40.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$2.18 €1.95
-31.19%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.36 €3.90
-52.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$22.27 €19.95
-14.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$13.88 €12.44
-76.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$21.97 €19.69
-50.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$3.22 €2.88
-9.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.19 €1.96
-22.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.89 €2.59
-22.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$4.13 €3.70
-49.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.80 €1.61
-16.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.54
$2.53 €2.27
-45.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.97
$1.84 €1.65
-41.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.96 €0.86
-45.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$14.42 €12.92
-70.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$9.19 €8.23
104.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.77 €2.49
-34.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$3.63 €3.25
-21.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.00
$1.86 €1.66
-22.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$48.86 €43.78
15.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$8.77 €7.86
-65.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.34
$1.44 €1.29
-29.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$46.73 €41.87
-92.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.78
$2.26 €2.03
-34.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.7K
$34.7K €31.1K
-22.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.8K
$38.0K €34.0K
-29.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,252
$245 €220
-60.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$7.81 €7.00
44.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$30.25 €27.11
-44.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,269
$36.16 €32.40
85.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$14.64 €13.12
-48.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$1,816 €1,628
-73.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.1K
$26.5K €23.7K
-57.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,105
$111 €99.6
-43.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$52.0 €46.61
-45.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,182
$121 €108
-22.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,896
$156 €140
-45.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$626 €561
14.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$609 €546
-19.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,166 €1,045
65.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,126 €1,009
27.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$4,080 €3,656
2.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$3,031 €2,716
0.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bourges
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$2,788 €2,498
-81.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.4
63.82%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bourges: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Bourges
$609 24.1% $118
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Bourges
$395 48.2% $128
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Bourges
$283 128% $159
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Bourges
$198 62.6% $76
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Bourges
$323 166% $201
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Bourges
$65 20.4% $17
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Bourges
$72 2.4% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $626 in Bourges. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bourges pays about 5.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $79 in Bourges for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $395 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇫🇷 Bourges
🕒 Local time
18:08 6:08 PM
12:08 12:08 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
63,702
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Bourges 9,820 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Bourges

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bourges: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Bourges?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Bourges. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Bourges?
On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Bourges?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $626 in Bourges. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Bourges?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $79 in Bourges. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Bourges?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,946 in Bourges – Phuket is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Bourges?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,946 in Bourges, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bourges. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Bourges?
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.
How safe is Phuket compared to Bourges?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Bourges are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Phuket or to Bourges?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Bourges on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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