😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,135 in Sanur, Bali.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $2,030 in Sanur, Bali.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $2,924 in Sanur, Bali.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 12% more expensive than Sanur, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Sanur, Bali15% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$2.74Rp 46.9K
70.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,490
$25.61Rp 438.7K
81.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿278
$3.93Rp 67.3K
120.87%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿94.6
$2.25Rp 38.6K
31.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.43
$1.08Rp 18.5K
-35.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.65
$0.59Rp 10.1K
-33.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.3
$2.36Rp 40.5K
7.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿121
$3.06Rp 52.4K
23.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.2
$1.56Rp 26.8K
42.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.6
$2.22Rp 38.0K
-18.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.1
$1.05Rp 18.0K
108.57%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.2
$2.14Rp 36.6K
7.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿621
$13.10Rp 224.4K
47.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$3.94Rp 67.4K
-4.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿424
$10.74Rp 183.9K
23.09%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$3.42Rp 58.5K
-2.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿52.9
$1.45Rp 24.8K
13.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.4
$2.47Rp 42.3K
-7.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿63.8
$2.13Rp 36.5K
-6.57%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.04
$1.74Rp 29.8K
-12.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.57
$1.99Rp 34.1K
-24.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿32.98
$0.96Rp 16.5K
7.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.50
$0.70Rp 12.0K
-27.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿141
$2.86Rp 49.1K
54.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿623
$21.09Rp 361.2K
-7.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿57.7
$2.60Rp 44.6K
-30.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.0
$2.51Rp 42.9K
6.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿45.93
$0.26Rp 4,415
450.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿375
$7.97Rp 136.4K
46.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.5
$0.43Rp 7,376
606.98%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.24
$0.41Rp 6,938
153.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿439
$5.82Rp 99.7K
135.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.68
$0.81Rp 13.8K
60.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿895.3K
$24.7KRp 422.7M
13.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$31.1KRp 533.4M
6.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,946
$77.1Rp 1.3M
59.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿443
$3.87Rp 66.3K
257.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿605
$23.08Rp 395.3K
-18.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,962
$72.6Rp 1.2M
-15.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿539
$5.00Rp 85.6K
236.20%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿285
$2.97Rp 50.8K
198.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.3K
$268Rp 4.6M
159.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿515.3K
$6,096Rp 104.4M
163.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,902
$49.71Rp 851.4K
19.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,118
$34.21Rp 586.0K
1.87%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,632
$79.1Rp 1.4M
43.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,729
$70.6Rp 1.2M
20.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$728Rp 12.5M
-15.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$499Rp 8.5M
-10.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿66.9K
$2,561Rp 43.9M
-18.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.0K
$1,516Rp 26.0M
-1.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿119.8K
$2,199Rp 37.7M
69.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.4K
$1,744Rp 29.9M
52.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.1K
-
-
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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Sanur, Bali: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $728 in Sanur, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $26 in Sanur, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $270 per month, with Sanur, 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 Sanur, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sanur, Bali cheaper than Phuket?
Sanur, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $1,703 in Sanur, 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Sanur, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $728 in Sanur, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $268 in Sanur, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Sanur, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Sanur, Bali?
At $1,135 in Sanur, Bali versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sanur, Bali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sanur, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sanur, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Sanur, Bali 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Sanur, Bali?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sanur, 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sanur, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.