😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,659 in Seminyak, Bali versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,020 in Seminyak, Bali versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,381 in Seminyak, Bali versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Seminyak, Bali is roughly 31% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Seminyak, Bali is 24% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.17Rp 75.2K
$4.70฿153
-11.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.50Rp 676.3K
$45.37฿1,482
-17.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.78Rp 104.2K
$8.43฿275
-31.44%
Cappuccino
$3.20Rp 57.8K
$2.93฿95.6
9.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56Rp 28.1K
$0.69฿22.40
126.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82Rp 14.8K
$0.37฿11.99
121.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.37Rp 60.8K
$2.41฿78.6
39.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56Rp 82.2K
$3.72฿122
22.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.84Rp 33.1K
$2.23฿72.9
-17.49%
White Bread(500g)
$2.68Rp 48.3K
$1.83฿59.8
46.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.25Rp 22.6K
$2.17฿70.8
-42.40%
Eggs
$2.55Rp 45.9K
$2.21฿72.3
15.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.17Rp 273.5K
$19.74฿645
-23.15%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.53Rp 81.7K
$3.63฿119
24.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.66Rp 228.4K
$13.53฿442
-6.43%
Apples(1kg)
$3.93Rp 70.9K
$3.28฿107
19.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62Rp 29.3K
$1.61฿52.6
0.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.97Rp 53.5K
$2.41฿78.6
23.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36Rp 42.6K
$2.08฿68.1
13.46%
Potato(1kg)
$2.01Rp 36.2K
$1.53฿49.93
31.37%
Onion(1kg)
$2.36Rp 42.6K
$1.48฿48.36
59.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06Rp 19.1K
$0.99฿32.29
7.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80Rp 14.4K
$0.51฿16.67
56.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.31Rp 59.6K
$4.41฿144
-24.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$24.37Rp 439.6K
$19.38฿633
25.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92Rp 52.7K
$1.78฿58.1
64.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89Rp 52.0K
$2.71฿88.6
6.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.33Rp 5,961
$1.37฿44.79
-75.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.69Rp 174.7K
$11.39฿372
-14.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.52Rp 9,424
$3.02฿98.6
-82.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.52Rp 9,430
$0.99฿32.48
-47.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.94Rp 125.2K
$14.10฿461
-50.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.97Rp 17.5K
$1.36฿44.51
-28.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0KRp 541.0M
$28.2K฿921.1K
6.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0KRp 667.4M
$32.9K฿1.1M
12.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$85.1Rp 1.5M
$122฿3,975
-30.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.11Rp 74.1K
$13.57฿443
-69.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.00Rp 450.9K
$18.31฿598
36.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$109Rp 2.0M
$60.2฿1,967
80.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.49Rp 135.1K
$17.14฿560
-56.30%
Cinema Ticket
$4.68Rp 84.3K
$8.69฿284
-46.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$331Rp 6.0M
$693฿22.6K
-52.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,310Rp 131.8M
$15.7K฿512.3K
-53.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5Rp 1.0M
$59.5฿1,944
-3.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.63Rp 714.8K
$34.77฿1,136
13.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.5Rp 1.6M
$115฿3,743
-21.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.7Rp 1.4M
$83.3฿2,720
-4.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,262Rp 22.8M
$613฿20.0K
105.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$854Rp 15.4M
$437฿14.3K
95.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$4,218Rp 76.1M
$2,094฿68.4K
101.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,652Rp 47.8M
$1,509฿49.3K
75.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,510Rp 63.3M
$3,749฿122.5K
-6.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,905Rp 52.4M
$2,616฿85.4K
11.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.28
5.33
149.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Seminyak, Bali: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,262 in Seminyak, Bali and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Seminyak, Bali vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $313 vs $293, 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
Seminyak, Bali vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Seminyak, Bali?
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 $2,489 in Seminyak, Bali and $1,898 in Phuket 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 Seminyak, Bali and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,262 in Seminyak, Bali versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $331 in Seminyak, Bali versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Seminyak, Bali and Phuket?
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 Seminyak, Bali or Phuket?
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 Seminyak, Bali or Phuket 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, Seminyak, Bali or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Seminyak, Bali and Phuket 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.
Seminyak, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared