😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,186 in Cemagi, Bali.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,943 in Cemagi, Bali.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,701 in Cemagi, Bali.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 6% more expensive than in Cemagi, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket9% lower, Cemagi, Bali14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$2.85Rp 50.2K
60.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,072
$32.65Rp 575.7K
-0.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$4.75Rp 83.7K
87.37%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$2.23Rp 39.4K
25.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.93
$1.41Rp 24.8K
-37.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$0.61Rp 10.7K
-19.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$2.28Rp 40.1K
4.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$3.61Rp 63.6K
2.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.7
$1.48Rp 26.1K
20.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.38
$2.14Rp 37.8K
-32.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$1.08Rp 19.0K
46.30%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$2.05Rp 36.1K
3.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$17.04Rp 300.4K
16.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$3.69Rp 65.1K
-7.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$11.52Rp 203.2K
-1.65%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿96.9
$3.40Rp 60.0K
-13.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$1.55Rp 27.3K
10.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.4
$2.21Rp 38.9K
4.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$1.89Rp 33.3K
10.05%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.33
$1.79Rp 31.6K
-17.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.64
$2.31Rp 40.7K
-41.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.12
$0.92Rp 16.3K
19.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$0.53Rp 9,404
7.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$2.21Rp 39.0K
93.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿605
$22.84Rp 402.7K
-19.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$2.19Rp 38.7K
-14.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.0
$2.65Rp 46.7K
10.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿72.9
$0.28Rp 4,919
692.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$9.29Rp 163.8K
146.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$0.54Rp 9,440
461.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.31
$0.49Rp 8,564
118.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$2.70Rp 47.5K
45.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.04
$0.91Rp 16.1K
63.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿891.7K
$27.2KRp 480.2M
-0.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.3K
$34.2KRp 602.6M
-19.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,379
$82.5Rp 1.5M
24.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$6.54Rp 115.2K
68.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$18.85Rp 332.4K
-7.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$50.8Rp 896.0K
5.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
$17.18Rp 302.9K
-34.81%
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$4.07Rp 71.8K
83.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$462Rp 8.1M
20.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.6K
$5,489Rp 96.8M
115.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,106
$44.64Rp 787.0K
43.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$34.62Rp 610.4K
-16.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,154
$76.6Rp 1.4M
25.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$77.6Rp 1.4M
16.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$823Rp 14.5M
-11.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$502Rp 8.8M
-0.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$2,639Rp 46.5M
-20.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.7K
$1,276Rp 22.5M
-5.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
$2,072Rp 36.5M
73.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
$1,684Rp 29.7M
49.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
13.78
-59.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Cemagi, Bali: September 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $823 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Cemagi, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $280 per month, with Phuket 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 Cemagi, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Cemagi, Bali?
Phuket and Cemagi, Bali differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $1,186 including rent). Cemagi, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Cemagi, Bali?
You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $1,779 in Cemagi, Bali 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Cemagi, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $823 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Cemagi, Bali?
Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $462 in Cemagi, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,186 in Cemagi, Bali versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cemagi, Bali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cemagi, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Cemagi, Bali?
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.
Is Phuket or Cemagi, Bali safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Cemagi, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Cemagi, Bali?
Expats usually find Cemagi, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.