Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $807 per month in Jakarta vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,308 per month in Jakarta vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,810 per month in Jakarta vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Jakarta is about 36% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Jakarta and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta41% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.62Rp 46.1K
$4.66฿154
-43.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.36Rp 270.5K
$32.22฿1,065
-52.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.31Rp 58.3K
$8.68฿287
-61.87%
Cappuccino
$2.00Rp 35.2K
$2.90฿95.8
-31.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43Rp 7,567
$0.84฿27.89
-48.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24Rp 4,202
$0.49฿16.16
-51.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.76Rp 48.6K
$2.48฿82.0
11.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08Rp 71.8K
$3.73฿123
9.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40Rp 24.6K
$1.89฿62.3
-25.93%
White Bread(500g)
$1.10Rp 19.3K
$1.41฿46.54
-21.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.89Rp 15.7K
$1.62฿53.6
-45.06%
Eggs
$1.75Rp 30.9K
$2.24฿74.1
-21.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.64Rp 169.8K
$19.84฿656
-51.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03Rp 53.4K
$3.48฿115
-12.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.92Rp 139.5K
$11.37฿376
-30.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98Rp 52.5K
$2.90฿95.8
2.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.36Rp 23.9K
$1.72฿57.0
-20.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67Rp 47.1K
$2.27฿75.1
17.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36Rp 24.0K
$2.13฿70.4
-36.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.41Rp 24.9K
$1.47฿48.72
-4.08%
Onion(1kg)
$2.11Rp 37.2K
$1.42฿46.92
48.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.97Rp 17.0K
$1.10฿36.25
-11.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52Rp 9,102
$0.60฿19.76
-13.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.94Rp 51.8K
$4.31฿142
-31.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$21.38Rp 376.4K
$18.60฿615
14.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17Rp 38.2K
$1.80฿59.5
20.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10Rp 54.6K
$2.97฿98.0
4.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27Rp 4,742
$2.25฿74.2
-88.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.99Rp 211.0K
$23.49฿776
-48.96%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.53Rp 9,287
$3.10฿102
-82.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35Rp 6,208
$1.08฿35.56
-67.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.29Rp 58.0K
$3.87฿128
-14.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.78Rp 13.7K
$1.43฿47.16
-45.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7KRp 488.2M
$27.8K฿918.0K
-0.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6KRp 591.0M
$27.0K฿891.5K
24.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$107Rp 1.9M
$105฿3,462
1.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.09Rp 107.2K
$11.39฿376
-46.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.62Rp 345.5K
$17.54฿580
11.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$26.95Rp 474.4K
$54.3฿1,795
-50.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.22Rp 250.4K
$11.44฿378
24.30%
Cinema Ticket
$3.48Rp 61.2K
$7.78฿257
-55.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$152Rp 2.7M
$576฿19.0K
-73.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,459Rp 148.9M
$11.6K฿382.7K
-26.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.2Rp 1.1M
$63.6฿2,103
-5.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.04Rp 511.3K
$29.10฿961
-0.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$73.0Rp 1.3M
$96.2฿3,179
-24.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106Rp 1.9M
$90.0฿2,974
17.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$363Rp 6.4M
$733฿24.2K
-50.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$200Rp 3.5M
$501฿16.5K
-60.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,147Rp 20.2M
$2,126฿70.2K
-46.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$575Rp 10.1M
$1,252฿41.4K
-54.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,077Rp 54.2M
$3,534฿116.8K
-12.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,439Rp 25.3M
$2,622฿86.6K
-45.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$454Rp 8.0M
$508฿16.8K
-10.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.46
5.57
69.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Jakarta: September 5, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Jakarta versus $733 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 12% 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 $15.00 in Jakarta versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $275 – making Jakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Jakarta vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Jakarta or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 57% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Jakarta and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,211 per month in Jakarta and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Jakarta or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Jakarta and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $152 per month in Jakarta and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Jakarta or in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Jakarta or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $807, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Jakarta or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $807 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Jakarta compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Jakarta or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. 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.