Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Uluwatu, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Uluwatu, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,736 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,152 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,568 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 29% less than in Uluwatu, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Uluwatu, Bali is 30% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 ฿150
$4.33 Rp 74.5K
6.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84 ฿1,518
$38.42 Rp 661.5K
21.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿286
$6.11 Rp 105.3K
44.68%
Cappuccino
$3.00 ฿97.1
$3.45 Rp 59.3K
-13.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ฿24.03
$1.67 Rp 28.8K
-55.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.84
$0.88 Rp 15.2K
-57.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 ฿79.0
$3.54 Rp 60.9K
-31.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 ฿117
$4.59 Rp 79.1K
-21.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿73.2
$1.80 Rp 30.9K
25.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 ฿59.6
$2.57 Rp 44.2K
-28.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ฿72.7
$1.25 Rp 21.6K
79.20%
Eggs
$2.32 ฿75.0
$2.53 Rp 43.6K
-8.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.67 ฿637
$15.00 Rp 258.2K
31.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿118
$4.55 Rp 78.4K
-19.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 ฿424
$12.59 Rp 216.8K
4.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 ฿110
$3.94 Rp 67.8K
-13.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.64 Rp 28.3K
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.2
$2.83 Rp 48.8K
-14.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿65.7
$2.46 Rp 42.4K
-17.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿50.4
$2.10 Rp 36.2K
-25.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿48.49
$2.40 Rp 41.3K
-37.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ฿33.19
$1.06 Rp 18.3K
-3.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿15.85
$0.81 Rp 13.9K
-39.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45 ฿144
$3.41 Rp 58.8K
30.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.88 ฿612
$24.50 Rp 421.9K
-22.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿57.5
$3.02 Rp 52.1K
-41.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 ฿89.2
$2.90 Rp 49.9K
-5.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 ฿45.39
$0.37 Rp 6,288
278.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.48 ฿372
$10.50 Rp 180.8K
9.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 ฿101
$0.61 Rp 10.5K
411.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 ฿32.37
$0.53 Rp 9,153
88.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.09 ฿456
$7.47 Rp 128.7K
88.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 ฿43.78
$1.02 Rp 17.5K
32.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K ฿880.7K
$32.5K Rp 560.1M
-16.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$40.8K Rp 702.2M
-19.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 ฿4,049
$88.8 Rp 1.5M
40.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿440
$4.30 Rp 74.1K
215.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52 ฿600
$26.71 Rp 459.9K
-30.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.5 ฿1,992
$114 Rp 2.0M
-45.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 ฿546
$7.54 Rp 129.8K
123.34%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19 ฿298
$4.82 Rp 83.1K
90.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.6K
$336 Rp 5.8M
107.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K ฿505.2K
$7,640 Rp 131.6M
104.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 ฿1,872
$60.6 Rp 1.0M
-4.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 ฿1,142
$42.13 Rp 725.4K
-16.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ฿3,665
$96.7 Rp 1.7M
17.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 ฿2,799
$84.2 Rp 1.4M
2.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$616 ฿20.0K
$1,345 Rp 23.2M
-54.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 ฿14.5K
$890 Rp 15.3M
-49.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,048 ฿66.3K
$4,556 Rp 78.4M
-55.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿48.3K
$2,822 Rp 48.6M
-47.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,779 ฿122.4K
$4,025 Rp 69.3M
-6.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,649 ฿85.8K
$3,190 Rp 54.9M
-16.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 ฿17.0K
-
-
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 27, 2026

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,345 in Uluwatu, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Phuket vs $38 in Uluwatu, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $312, 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 Uluwatu, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uluwatu, Bali cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% 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 $2,604 in Uluwatu, 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 Uluwatu, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,345 in Uluwatu, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $336 in Uluwatu, 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 Uluwatu, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Uluwatu, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Uluwatu, Bali?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,736 in Uluwatu, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Uluwatu, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Uluwatu, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Uluwatu, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Uluwatu, Bali?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Uluwatu, 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 41% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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