Cost of Living Comparison Between Itu and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Itu and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $727 per month in Itu vs $1,243 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,339 per month in Itu vs $2,023 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,952 per month in Itu vs $2,803 in Phuket, rent included.

Itu is about 42% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Itu and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Itu 46% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 R$28.89

$4.37 ฿147

26.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.09 R$199

$32.87 ฿1,103

15.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 R$31.54

$8.39 ฿282

-28.01%

Cappuccino

$1.84 R$9.59

$2.73 ฿91.8

-32.60%

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

$0.76 R$3.95

$0.88 ฿29.59

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 R$2.39

$0.47 ฿15.92

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 R$12.60

$2.36 ฿79.1

2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 R$23.74

$3.71 ฿124

22.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.32

$1.83 ฿61.5

-44.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 R$7.45

$1.45 ฿48.58

-1.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.92

$1.58 ฿52.9

-28.48%

Eggs

$2.62 R$13.71

$2.10 ฿70.4

24.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 R$45.87

$19.37 ฿650

-54.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 R$19.91

$3.42 ฿115

11.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.62 R$29.36

$10.96 ฿368

-48.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.92

$3.00 ฿101

-43.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.81

$1.64 ฿54.9

-20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 R$3.88

$2.21 ฿74.1

-66.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.39

$2.12 ฿71.2

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.90

$1.47 ฿49.34

-36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 R$7.13

$1.32 ฿44.37

3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.90

$1.07 ฿35.93

-29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 R$2.59

$0.52 ฿17.61

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 R$13.89

$4.38 ฿147

-39.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 R$30.22

$18.59 ฿624

-68.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 R$8.48

$1.75 ฿58.6

-7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 R$15.17

$2.86 ฿95.8

1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.93

$2.26 ฿76.0

-58.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.91 R$203

$22.98 ฿771

69.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 R$5.10

$2.94 ฿98.7

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 R$5.13

$1.07 ฿35.84

-8.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 R$46.78

$3.84 ฿129

133.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.84

$1.46 ฿48.96

-36.30%

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

$22.8K R$119.0K

$27.2K ฿912.2K

-16.21%

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

$27.2K R$142.1K

$26.6K ฿893.5K

2.21%

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

$43.99 R$230

$102 ฿3,420

-56.85%

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

$11.31 R$59.0

$10.96 ฿368

3.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.95 R$83.3

$16.89 ฿567

-5.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.37 R$132

$52.4 ฿1,758

-51.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.09 R$141

$10.93 ฿367

147.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 R$24.34

$7.52 ฿252

-38.03%

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

$421 R$2,200

$547 ฿18.3K

-22.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,354 R$38.4K

$11.3K ฿379.5K

-34.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.15 R$251

$63.2 ฿2,122

-23.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.73 R$202

$29.23 ฿981

32.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 R$352

$97.8 ฿3,282

-31.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.45 R$248

$86.7 ฿2,909

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 R$1,600

$721 ฿24.2K

-57.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 R$1,012

$476 ฿16.0K

-59.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 R$3,933

$2,081 ฿69.8K

-63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 R$3,345

$1,194 ฿40.1K

-46.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,585 R$8,279

$3,577 ฿120.0K

-55.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,103 R$5,759

$2,541 ฿85.3K

-56.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 R$1,474

$489 ฿16.4K

-42.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

5.57

99.64%

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

Last update for Itu: September 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Itu versus $721 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 73% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Itu versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Itu vs $269 in Phuket – so Itu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Itu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $727 in Itu, $1,243 in Phuket – roughly 71% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,090 per month in Itu and $1,865 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Itu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Itu and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $727 in Itu and $1,243 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itu, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Phuket at $1,243. In Itu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $727 in Itu to $1,243 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Itu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.