Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bungoma Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bungoma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $260 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $375 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $490 in Bungoma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 374% more expensive than Bungoma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.57 KES 203

55.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.68 KES 216

114.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.04 KES 134

117.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.48 KES 62.6

283.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.33 KES 172

68.42%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.30 KES 167

78.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.66 KES 473

257.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.12 KES 402

8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.15 KES 148

-57.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.58 KES 204

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.69 KES 218

62.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.57 KES 203

-36.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$0.75 KES 96.9

1778.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.42 KES 184

-4.93%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$29.68 KES 3,831

-37.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$19.26 KES 2,486

-12.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$3.82 KES 493

140.58%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$61.7 KES 7,957

1032.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$11.84 KES 1,528

387.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$38.59 KES 4,980

193.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$19.00 KES 2,452

354.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$116 KES 15.0K

428.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$92.7 KES 12.0K

381.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$270 KES 34.8K

659.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$147 KES 19.0K

914.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $116 in Bungoma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Bungoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 374% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $390 in Bungoma to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $116 in Bungoma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 278% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $61.7 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $260 in Bungoma versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bungoma but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bungoma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bungoma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bungoma 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 Bungoma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 374% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.