🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,659 in Seminyak, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,020 in Seminyak, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,381 in Seminyak, Bali.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 24% less than in Seminyak, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Seminyak, Bali is 24% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$4.17Rp 75.2K
12.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$37.50Rp 676.3K
20.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$5.78Rp 104.2K
45.85%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$3.20Rp 57.8K
-8.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.56Rp 28.1K
-55.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.82Rp 14.8K
-54.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$3.37Rp 60.8K
-28.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$4.56Rp 82.2K
-18.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.84Rp 33.1K
21.20%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$2.68Rp 48.3K
-31.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.25Rp 22.6K
73.60%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.55Rp 45.9K
-13.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$15.17Rp 273.5K
30.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$4.53Rp 81.7K
-19.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$12.66Rp 228.4K
6.87%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.93Rp 70.9K
-16.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.62Rp 29.3K
-0.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.97Rp 53.5K
-18.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.36Rp 42.6K
-11.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$2.01Rp 36.2K
-23.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$2.36Rp 42.6K
-37.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.06Rp 19.1K
-6.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.80Rp 14.4K
-36.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$3.31Rp 59.6K
33.23%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$24.37Rp 439.6K
-20.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.92Rp 52.7K
-39.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.89Rp 52.0K
-6.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.33Rp 5,961
315.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$9.69Rp 174.7K
17.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$0.52Rp 9,424
480.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.52Rp 9,430
90.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$6.94Rp 125.2K
103.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$0.97Rp 17.5K
40.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$30.0KRp 541.0M
-5.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$37.0KRp 667.4M
-11.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$85.1Rp 1.5M
42.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$4.11Rp 74.1K
230.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$25.00Rp 450.9K
-26.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$109Rp 2.0M
-44.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$7.49Rp 135.1K
128.84%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$4.68Rp 84.3K
85.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$331Rp 6.0M
109.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$7,310Rp 131.8M
114.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$57.5Rp 1.0M
3.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$39.63Rp 714.8K
-12.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$90.5Rp 1.6M
26.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$79.7Rp 1.4M
4.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,262Rp 22.8M
-51.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$854Rp 15.4M
-48.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$4,218Rp 76.1M
-50.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$2,652Rp 47.8M
-43.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$3,510Rp 63.3M
6.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$2,905Rp 52.4M
-9.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
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 Seminyak, Bali: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,262 in Seminyak, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Seminyak, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $313, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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 Seminyak, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seminyak, Bali cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $2,489 in Seminyak, 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 Seminyak, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,262 in Seminyak, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $331 in Seminyak, 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 Seminyak, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Seminyak, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Seminyak, Bali?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,659 in Seminyak, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Seminyak, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Seminyak, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seminyak, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Seminyak, Bali?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Seminyak, 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Seminyak, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.