😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,669 in Seminyak, Bali versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,992 in Seminyak, Bali versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,316 in Seminyak, Bali versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Seminyak, Bali is roughly 33% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Seminyak, Bali is 25% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.06Rp 72.9K
$4.55฿153
-10.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.64Rp 676.4K
$46.18฿1,553
-18.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.79Rp 104.0K
$8.84฿297
-34.50%
Cappuccino
$3.19Rp 57.3K
$3.06฿103
4.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55Rp 27.8K
$0.73฿24.40
112.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82Rp 14.8K
$0.40฿13.39
105.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.34Rp 60.1K
$2.43฿81.8
37.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51Rp 81.1K
$3.78฿127
19.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.90Rp 34.1K
$2.26฿76.0
-15.93%
White Bread(500g)
$2.67Rp 48.0K
$1.81฿60.9
47.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.26Rp 22.6K
$2.25฿75.8
-44.00%
Eggs
$2.47Rp 44.4K
$2.25฿75.5
9.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.58Rp 280.0K
$19.51฿656
-20.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.53Rp 81.5K
$3.65฿123
24.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.71Rp 228.5K
$13.05฿439
-2.61%
Apples(1kg)
$3.85Rp 69.1K
$3.23฿109
19.20%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68Rp 30.1K
$1.62฿54.4
3.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.93Rp 52.7K
$2.38฿80.1
23.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.42Rp 43.5K
$2.03฿68.1
19.21%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04Rp 36.6K
$1.53฿51.6
33.33%
Onion(1kg)
$2.30Rp 41.4K
$1.50฿50.5
53.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12Rp 20.1K
$0.98฿32.91
14.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80Rp 14.4K
$0.52฿17.39
53.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.44Rp 61.8K
$4.44฿149
-22.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$24.38Rp 438.2K
$18.32฿616
33.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.01Rp 54.0K
$1.86฿62.7
61.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99Rp 53.7K
$2.68฿90.1
11.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.31Rp 5,566
$1.41฿47.46
-78.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.48Rp 170.3K
$11.70฿393
-18.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.53Rp 9,459
$3.11฿105
-82.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.49Rp 8,737
$1.04฿35.06
-52.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.26Rp 130.5K
$14.11฿474
-48.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.98Rp 17.6K
$1.31฿44.10
-25.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5KRp 530.6M
$27.8K฿935.4K
6.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2KRp 668.3M
$33.2K฿1.1M
11.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.3Rp 1.5M
$122฿4,118
-31.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.17Rp 75.0K
$13.59฿457
-69.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.93Rp 448.0K
$18.70฿629
33.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$109Rp 2.0M
$60.5฿2,034
80.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.18Rp 129.1K
$16.98฿571
-57.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.44Rp 79.8K
$9.07฿305
-51.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$324Rp 5.8M
$706฿23.8K
-54.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,137Rp 128.3M
$15.8K฿531.5K
-54.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3Rp 1.0M
$58.6฿1,969
-2.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.35Rp 725.2K
$35.36฿1,189
14.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.3Rp 1.7M
$115฿3,883
-19.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.6Rp 1.5M
$83.7฿2,816
-1.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,278Rp 23.0M
$626฿21.0K
104.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$861Rp 15.5M
$445฿15.0K
93.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$4,247Rp 76.3M
$2,040฿68.6K
108.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,640Rp 47.4M
$1,492฿50.2K
76.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,510Rp 63.1M
$3,483฿117.1K
0.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,874Rp 51.6M
$2,577฿86.7K
11.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seminyak, Bali
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$500฿16.8K
-
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,278 in Seminyak, Bali and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Seminyak, Bali vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $289, 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,503 in Seminyak, Bali and $1,875 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: $1,278 in Seminyak, Bali versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $324 in Seminyak, Bali versus $706 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 Seminyak, Bali or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,669 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 33% 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