Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Denpasar, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Denpasar, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $961 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,660 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,360 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Phuket is roughly 32% more expensive than Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Denpasar, Bali 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$2.41 Rp 43.1K

95.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$21.74 Rp 389.8K

108.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$3.26 Rp 58.4K

158.59%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

55.03%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.47 Rp 8,400

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

25.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.56 Rp 45.9K

45.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

54.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

-10.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

135.87%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.89 Rp 213.2K

66.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.41 Rp 61.2K

6.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.95 Rp 178.4K

35.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.09 Rp 55.4K

6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

14.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-4.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

-17.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

15.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.64 Rp 47.3K

67.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.27 Rp 345.5K

0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

-20.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.24 Rp 4,273

470.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$7.34 Rp 131.5K

55.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.44 Rp 7,842

586.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.39 Rp 6,941

153.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.45 Rp 97.6K

158.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

83.78%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$23.5K Rp 422.1M

19.77%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.1K Rp 522.1M

12.98%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$70.5 Rp 1.3M

72.72%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$3.67 Rp 65.8K

269.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$21.23 Rp 380.6K

-13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

-13.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$4.45 Rp 79.8K

285.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

198.63%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$227 Rp 4.1M

205.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$5,191 Rp 93.1M

202.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$47.61 Rp 853.5K

25.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$32.45 Rp 581.7K

7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$76.3 Rp 1.4M

50.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$66.7 Rp 1.2M

24.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$528 Rp 9.5M

16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$344 Rp 6.2M

26.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,801 Rp 32.3M

16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,065 Rp 19.1M

41.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,476 Rp 26.5M

153.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,184 Rp 21.2M

120.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$335 Rp 6.0M

51.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.28

-59.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $528 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 52% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $243 per month, with Denpasar, Bali 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 Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Denpasar, Bali differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $961 including rent). Denpasar, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 52% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $528 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $961 in Denpasar, Bali – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Denpasar, Bali runs roughly 55% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $961 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Denpasar, Bali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Denpasar, Bali 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 Denpasar, 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.

Expats usually find Denpasar, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.