Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $840 per month in Jakarta vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Jakarta vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,919 per month in Jakarta vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Jakarta is about 33% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Jakarta and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta37% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.11Rp 56.0K
$4.55฿153
-31.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.11Rp 325.4K
$46.18฿1,553
-60.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.46Rp 62.3K
$8.84฿297
-60.86%
Cappuccino
$2.10Rp 37.8K
$3.06฿103
-31.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55Rp 9,908
$0.73฿24.40
-24.66%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28Rp 5,086
$0.40฿13.39
-30.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.82Rp 50.8K
$2.43฿81.8
16.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.21Rp 75.7K
$3.78฿127
11.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.34Rp 24.1K
$2.26฿76.0
-40.71%
White Bread(500g)
$1.16Rp 20.8K
$1.81฿60.9
-35.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.95Rp 17.0K
$2.25฿75.8
-57.78%
Eggs
$1.80Rp 32.4K
$2.25฿75.5
-20.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.49Rp 116.7K
$19.51฿656
-66.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.23Rp 58.1K
$3.65฿123
-11.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.55Rp 135.7K
$13.05฿439
-42.15%
Apples(1kg)
$2.93Rp 52.6K
$3.23฿109
-9.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61Rp 28.9K
$1.62฿54.4
-0.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27Rp 40.8K
$2.38฿80.1
-4.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.56Rp 28.0K
$2.03฿68.1
-23.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79Rp 32.2K
$1.53฿51.6
16.99%
Onion(1kg)
$2.61Rp 47.0K
$1.50฿50.5
74.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06Rp 19.0K
$0.98฿32.91
8.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46Rp 8,284
$0.52฿17.39
-11.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99Rp 53.8K
$4.44฿149
-32.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.56Rp 369.5K
$18.32฿616
12.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.21Rp 39.7K
$1.86฿62.7
18.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24Rp 58.3K
$2.68฿90.1
20.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.21Rp 3,760
$1.41฿47.46
-85.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.21Rp 219.4K
$11.70฿393
4.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.54Rp 9,622
$3.11฿105
-82.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.37Rp 6,681
$1.04฿35.06
-64.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.12Rp 56.0K
$14.11฿474
-77.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.80Rp 14.4K
$1.31฿44.10
-38.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KRp 542.7M
$27.8K฿935.4K
8.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7KRp 588.0M
$33.2K฿1.1M
-1.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.4Rp 1.6M
$122฿4,118
-26.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.51Rp 116.9K
$13.59฿457
-52.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.21Rp 488.9K
$18.70฿629
45.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.97Rp 538.6K
$60.5฿2,034
-50.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.61Rp 226.7K
$16.98฿571
-25.74%
Cinema Ticket
$3.10Rp 55.7K
$9.07฿305
-65.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$166Rp 3.0M
$706฿23.8K
-76.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,566Rp 171.9M
$15.8K฿531.5K
-39.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5Rp 1.0M
$58.6฿1,969
-1.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.85Rp 608.2K
$35.36฿1,189
-4.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.3Rp 1.5M
$115฿3,883
-28.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3Rp 1.6M
$83.7฿2,816
7.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$381Rp 6.8M
$626฿21.0K
-39.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$236Rp 4.2M
$445฿15.0K
-46.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,152Rp 20.7M
$2,040฿68.6K
-43.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$660Rp 11.9M
$1,492฿50.2K
-55.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,958Rp 53.2M
$3,483฿117.1K
-15.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,431Rp 25.7M
$2,577฿86.7K
-44.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jakarta
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$421Rp 7.6M
$500฿16.8K
-15.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.59
5.33
79.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Jakarta versus $626 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 19% 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 $18.00 in Jakarta versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $289 – 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 49% 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 $1,260 per month in Jakarta and $1,875 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 $166 per month in Jakarta and $706 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 35% 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 $840, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $840 versus $1,250 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.