😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,143 in Sanur, Bali.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,905 in Sanur, Bali.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,667 in Sanur, Bali.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 8% more expensive than in Sanur, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Sanur, Bali16% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$2.65Rp 46.9K
66.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,074
$28.65Rp 508.0K
12.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$4.30Rp 76.2K
107.67%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.4
$2.19Rp 38.8K
32.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.30
$1.45Rp 25.7K
-39.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$0.68Rp 12.1K
-29.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.3
$2.41Rp 42.8K
-2.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$3.44Rp 61.0K
8.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.46Rp 25.8K
28.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.81
$2.10Rp 37.3K
-30.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$1.06Rp 18.9K
46.23%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.0
$1.89Rp 33.6K
11.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$16.10Rp 285.5K
21.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$3.70Rp 65.6K
-7.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$11.38Rp 201.8K
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$3.28Rp 58.2K
-9.15%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$1.47Rp 26.1K
14.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$2.07Rp 36.6K
6.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.0
$1.78Rp 31.5K
21.35%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.8
$1.73Rp 30.6K
-12.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.55
$2.13Rp 37.7K
-37.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.57
$0.90Rp 16.0K
25.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.19
$0.50Rp 8,926
10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$2.08Rp 37.0K
104.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$20.77Rp 368.4K
-8.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$2.16Rp 38.4K
-17.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$2.76Rp 48.9K
0.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$0.24Rp 4,214
829.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿757
$7.75Rp 137.4K
193.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$0.43Rp 7,627
604.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.06
$0.45Rp 7,922
126.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$5.85Rp 103.8K
-33.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.63
$0.76Rp 13.6K
96.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.9K
$23.7KRp 419.7M
12.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.8K
$29.6KRp 524.7M
-8.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,411
$77.5Rp 1.4M
32.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$6.10Rp 108.1K
85.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$18.08Rp 320.7K
-3.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,734
$41.44Rp 735.0K
25.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿369
$13.60Rp 241.2K
-18.60%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$3.34Rp 59.3K
130.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$450Rp 8.0M
24.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.0K
$5,199Rp 92.2M
121.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,098
$41.74Rp 740.2K
51.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿983
$32.57Rp 577.6K
-9.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,263
$72.0Rp 1.3M
36.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,946
$71.8Rp 1.3M
23.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$821Rp 14.6M
-10.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$512Rp 9.1M
-5.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$2,696Rp 47.8M
-21.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$1,265Rp 22.4M
-3.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.4K
$2,081Rp 36.9M
73.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.7K
$1,736Rp 30.8M
49.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sanur, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
-
-
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: September 15, 2026
Last update for Sanur, Bali: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $821 in Sanur, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Sanur, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $268 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, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,715 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: $738 in Phuket versus $821 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 $561 in Phuket versus $450 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 2% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Sanur, Bali?
At $1,143 in Sanur, Bali versus $1,232 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 8% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.