Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sanur, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Sanur, Bali: $1,071 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Sanur, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,071
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Sanur, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Sanur, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,071 in Sanur, Bali.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Sanur, Bali $1,071

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,789 in Sanur, Bali.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Sanur, Bali $1,789

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $2,508 in Sanur, Bali.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Sanur, Bali $2,508

Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than in Sanur, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Sanur, Bali 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$2.60 Rp 47.2K
68.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$26.71 Rp 484.8K
20.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$4.35 Rp 78.9K
100.00%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$2.14 Rp 38.7K
27.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.38
$1.28 Rp 23.2K
-27.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$0.51 Rp 9,279
-1.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$2.12 Rp 38.5K
19.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$3.50 Rp 63.5K
3.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$1.33 Rp 24.2K
30.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$2.06 Rp 37.5K
-29.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.01 Rp 18.3K
48.51%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$1.83 Rp 33.1K
18.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$14.19 Rp 257.5K
34.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$3.53 Rp 64.0K
-3.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$10.32 Rp 187.2K
5.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$3.30 Rp 59.8K
-10.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.38 Rp 25.1K
22.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$2.12 Rp 38.4K
3.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$1.81 Rp 32.8K
17.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.19
$1.62 Rp 29.5K
-9.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.14
$2.17 Rp 39.5K
-36.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.29
$0.90 Rp 16.3K
20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.40
$0.44 Rp 8,003
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.01 Rp 36.5K
120.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$19.88 Rp 360.8K
-8.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$2.05 Rp 37.2K
-13.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$2.70 Rp 49.0K
6.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$0.24 Rp 4,381
504.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,851
$8.24 Rp 149.6K
566.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.46 Rp 8,297
228.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.17
$0.42 Rp 7,574
85.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$5.87 Rp 106.6K
-34.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$0.85 Rp 15.5K
75.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿906.7K
$22.6K Rp 410.8M
18.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.6K
$31.0K Rp 561.8M
-14.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,299
$72.8 Rp 1.3M
34.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$6.04 Rp 109.6K
86.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$18.22 Rp 330.6K
-5.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$38.52 Rp 699.1K
77.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$13.29 Rp 241.1K
-17.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$3.20 Rp 58.1K
132.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$438 Rp 7.9M
21.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.5K
$10.9K Rp 198.3M
71.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,080
$41.16 Rp 747.0K
49.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$32.28 Rp 585.7K
-12.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,238
$70.9 Rp 1.3M
35.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,928
$72.1 Rp 1.3M
20.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$814 Rp 14.8M
-11.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$483 Rp 8.8M
5.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$2,663 Rp 48.3M
-26.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$1,201 Rp 21.8M
16.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$1,743 Rp 31.6M
140.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$1,622 Rp 29.4M
103.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
-
-
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sanur, Bali: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Sanur, Bali
$483 5.1% $26
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Sanur, Bali
$252 5.5% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Sanur, Bali
$97 23.1% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Sanur, Bali
$97 20.7% $25
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Sanur, Bali
$84 29.5% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Sanur, Bali
$45 46% $38
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Sanur, Bali
$12 82.2% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $814 in Sanur, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $27 in Sanur, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $252 per month, with Sanur, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇩 Sanur, Bali
🕒 Local time
13:15 1:15 PM
14:15 2:15 PM
1 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
15,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18,148 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,295 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Sanur, Bali 2,630 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Sanur, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 17% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $1,606 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: $721 in Phuket versus $814 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 $530 in Phuket versus $438 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 in Sanur, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Phuket or in Sanur, Bali?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Sanur, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Sanur, 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Sanur, Bali?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sanur, Bali are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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