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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $256 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $372 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $488 in Bungoma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 379% 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

$4.51 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.58 KES 204

53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.74 KES 225

108.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.99 KES 128

121.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.48 KES 62.5

277.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.35 KES 175

65.19%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.29 KES 166

73.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$3.76 KES 486

258.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.03 KES 393

10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.13 KES 146

-57.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.51 KES 196

21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.74 KES 226

57.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.57 KES 203

-33.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$0.74 KES 95.5

1778.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.37 KES 178

-5.84%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

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

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$29.36 KES 3,799

-35.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$19.09 KES 2,470

-11.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$3.89 KES 503

128.53%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$62.4 KES 8,077

1007.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$11.81 KES 1,529

389.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$38.26 KES 4,950

196.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$19.64 KES 2,542

322.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$116 KES 15.0K

422.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$91.8 KES 11.9K

388.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$266 KES 34.4K

662.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$147 KES 19.1K

912.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 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 379% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $383 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: $607 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 283% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $62.4 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $256 in Bungoma versus $1,223 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 379% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.