Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zenica Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zenica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $860 in Zenica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,260 in Zenica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,660 in Zenica.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than in Zenica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zenica 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.06 BAM 12.09

-35.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.38 BAM 31.48

151.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.23 BAM 7.24

108.98%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.61 BAM 2.75

90.06%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.74 BAM 2.98

-58.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.17 BAM 2.00

-65.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.03 BAM 3.47

19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.02 BAM 3.46

87.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.21 BAM 2.08

86.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.91 BAM 1.56

98.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.78 BAM 3.05

26.40%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.69 BAM 4.60

-16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.76 BAM 13.29

151.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.39 BAM 12.66

-50.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$12.68 BAM 21.72

2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.34 BAM 2.30

141.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.63 BAM 2.79

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.55 BAM 2.66

53.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.83 BAM 3.14

10.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.01 BAM 1.73

51.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.31 BAM 2.24

14.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.62 BAM 1.06

58.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.78 BAM 1.33

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.47 BAM 5.94

27.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.00 BAM 6.85

358.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.85 BAM 1.46

118.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.01 BAM 1.74

165.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.90 BAM 1.54

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$32.07 BAM 54.9

-63.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.58 BAM 2.70

96.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.83 BAM 1.43

25.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$8.81 BAM 15.09

60.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.44 BAM 2.47

-9.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$24.0K BAM 41.2K

15.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

27.50%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 ฿4,118

$167 BAM 285

-26.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.59 ฿457

$19.21 BAM 32.90

-29.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$25.03 BAM 42.87

-25.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$24.42 BAM 41.83

147.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$14.91 BAM 25.54

13.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.79 BAM 8.21

89.35%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$706 ฿23.8K

$154 BAM 264

358.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,252 BAM 5,569

386.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$50.5 BAM 86.5

15.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$30.90 BAM 52.9

14.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$96.0 BAM 164

20.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$88.7 BAM 152

-5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$199 BAM 342

213.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$147 BAM 252

203.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$280 BAM 480

627.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$209 BAM 358

614.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,609 BAM 2,757

116.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,328 BAM 2,275

93.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$719 BAM 1,231

-30.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

77.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zenica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $199 in Zenica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zenica pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Zenica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $201 per month, with Zenica 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 Zenica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zenica is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Zenica. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $199 in Zenica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $154 in Zenica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $860 in Zenica versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zenica but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zenica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zenica 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Zenica are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zenica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.