🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,597 in Seminyak, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,750 in Seminyak, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $3,904 in Seminyak, Bali.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 22% less than in Seminyak, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Seminyak, Bali is 16% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$4.02Rp 70.9K
13.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,072
$44.61Rp 786.6K
-26.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$6.40Rp 112.8K
39.06%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$3.11Rp 54.9K
-9.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.93
$1.95Rp 34.5K
-54.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$0.86Rp 15.1K
-43.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$3.23Rp 57.0K
-26.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$5.02Rp 88.6K
-26.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.7
$1.68Rp 29.7K
6.55%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.38
$2.35Rp 41.5K
-38.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$1.18Rp 20.8K
33.90%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$2.29Rp 40.4K
-6.99%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$18.75Rp 330.7K
6.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$4.20Rp 74.1K
-18.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$12.65Rp 223.0K
-10.43%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿96.9
$3.87Rp 68.2K
-23.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$1.71Rp 30.1K
0.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.4
$2.47Rp 43.6K
-6.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$2.12Rp 37.5K
-1.89%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.33
$1.94Rp 34.2K
-24.23%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.64
$2.46Rp 43.4K
-44.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.12
$1.05Rp 18.6K
4.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$0.57Rp 10.1K
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$2.44Rp 43.0K
75.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿605
$24.45Rp 431.1K
-24.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$2.54Rp 44.7K
-26.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.0
$2.88Rp 50.7K
1.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿72.9
$0.29Rp 5,073
665.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$9.74Rp 171.8K
135.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$0.56Rp 9,939
441.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.31
$0.51Rp 8,922
109.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$2.56Rp 45.2K
53.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.04
$0.95Rp 16.7K
56.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿891.7K
$27.9KRp 492.7M
-2.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.3K
$36.8KRp 648.9M
-25.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,379
$84.9Rp 1.5M
21.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$6.71Rp 118.2K
63.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$19.86Rp 350.1K
-11.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$63.6Rp 1.1M
-15.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
$20.65Rp 364.1K
-45.76%
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$4.84Rp 85.3K
54.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$528Rp 9.3M
5.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.6K
$6,331Rp 111.6M
87.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,106
$47.69Rp 840.9K
34.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$37.98Rp 669.8K
-23.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,154
$83.6Rp 1.5M
14.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$85.6Rp 1.5M
5.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$1,410Rp 24.9M
-48.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$866Rp 15.3M
-42.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$4,508Rp 79.5M
-53.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.7K
$2,181Rp 38.5M
-44.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
$3,507Rp 61.8M
2.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
$2,862Rp 50.5M
-12.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Seminyak, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.5K
-
-
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: August 31, 2026
Last update for Seminyak, Bali: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $1,410 in Seminyak, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Seminyak, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $309 per month, with Phuket 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 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $2,395 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: $730 in Phuket versus $1,410 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 $557 in Phuket versus $528 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 in Seminyak, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 living in Phuket or in Seminyak, Bali?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,597 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 27% less than in Seminyak, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.