Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuta, Lombok Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuta, Lombok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $759 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,309 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,859 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

Phuket costs about 67% more than Kuta, Lombok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kuta, Lombok are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Kuta, Lombok 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

148.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$16.33 Rp 294.7K

179.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$2.44 Rp 44.0K

259.02%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

109.15%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.67 Rp 12.1K

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.35 Rp 6,249

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

75.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

90.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

80.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

175.95%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.58 Rp 28.6K

42.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.77 Rp 176.3K

104.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

26.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.20 Rp 148.1K

65.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.08 Rp 19.5K

51.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

29.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

34.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

16.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

-4.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

38.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.49 Rp 8,788

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.09 Rp 37.7K

108.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$15.68 Rp 283.1K

18.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.84 Rp 33.3K

1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

38.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.18 Rp 3,187

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$5.44 Rp 98.3K

112.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.32 Rp 5,780

890.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.30 Rp 5,423

243.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$4.06 Rp 73.2K

242.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.56 Rp 10.2K

139.29%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$16.8K Rp 302.9M

65.61%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.9K Rp 377.4M

59.69%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$60.5 Rp 1.1M

103.25%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$2.96 Rp 53.5K

365.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$18.01 Rp 325.2K

1.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$52.6 Rp 950.4K

15.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$3.42 Rp 61.8K

401.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

308.76%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$188 Rp 3.4M

265.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,266 Rp 77.0M

269.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$40.91 Rp 738.5K

44.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$28.81 Rp 520.1K

20.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

73.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$60.0 Rp 1.1M

39.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$384 Rp 6.9M

61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$260 Rp 4.7M

71.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,333 Rp 24.1M

52.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$816 Rp 14.7M

83.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,082 Rp 19.5M

219.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$879 Rp 15.9M

188.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kuta, Lombok: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $384 in Kuta, Lombok. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $16.00 in Kuta, Lombok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $201 – making Kuta, Lombok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kuta, Lombok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 67% more than Kuta, Lombok, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,138 in Kuta, Lombok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuta, Lombok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $16.00 in Kuta, Lombok. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $759 in Kuta, Lombok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuta, Lombok, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Kuta, Lombok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuta, Lombok costs $759 versus $1,264 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kuta, Lombok. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.