Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $448 per month in Karawang vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $815 per month in Karawang vs $2,078 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,182 per month in Karawang vs $2,896 in Phuket, rent included.

Karawang is about 64% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karawang and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Karawang 67% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

$4.43 ฿145

-67.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.29 Rp 200.6K

$35.07 ฿1,151

-67.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.45 Rp 61.4K

$8.96 ฿294

-61.50%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

$3.00 ฿98.4

-49.67%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,183

$0.77 ฿25.33

-48.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 Rp 3,550

$0.47 ฿15.44

-57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

$2.40 ฿78.6

25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.2K

$3.75 ฿123

-18.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

$1.82 ฿59.8

-37.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$1.42 ฿46.65

-30.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$1.55 ฿50.8

-44.52%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

$2.13 ฿69.9

-32.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

$19.76 ฿648

-86.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.1K

$3.48 ฿114

-18.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 Rp 137.9K

$11.09 ฿364

-30.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

$2.91 ฿95.5

-37.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

$1.66 ฿54.6

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

$2.27 ฿74.5

-45.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 Rp 9,104

$2.10 ฿68.8

-75.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

$1.47 ฿48.24

-38.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

$1.41 ฿46.29

9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 Rp 11.6K

$1.09 ฿35.78

-40.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,709

$0.54 ฿17.58

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

$4.48 ฿147

-40.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.86 Rp 406.3K

$18.72 ฿614

22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

$1.84 ฿60.4

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.4K

$2.95 ฿96.7

7.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

$2.26 ฿74.1

-73.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$3.04 ฿99.9

-71.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,819

$1.09 ฿35.82

-49.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$3.82 ฿125

-69.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

$1.49 ฿48.79

-46.98%

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

$21.4K Rp 381.2M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

-21.84%

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

$29.4K Rp 522.4M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

6.84%

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

$33.67 Rp 598.5K

$102 ฿3,340

-66.93%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.0K

$11.28 ฿370

-62.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.52 Rp 222.5K

$17.75 ฿582

-29.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 Rp 356.4K

$54.2 ฿1,777

-62.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.54 Rp 151.8K

$10.96 ฿360

-22.08%

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 Rp 50.3K

$7.85 ฿258

-63.95%

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

$43.30 Rp 769.6K

$577 ฿18.9K

-92.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,440 Rp 150.0M

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-27.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.60 Rp 295.0K

$65.4 ฿2,144

-74.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.01 Rp 497.8K

$28.89 ฿948

-3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.61 Rp 881.7K

$99.1 ฿3,250

-49.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 Rp 869.0K

$90.3 ฿2,961

-45.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 Rp 2.5M

$756 ฿24.8K

-81.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$487 ฿16.0K

-85.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 Rp 9.8M

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-73.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 Rp 6.5M

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-69.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 20.8M

$3,591 ฿117.8K

-67.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$696 Rp 12.4M

$2,610 ฿85.6K

-73.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$404 Rp 7.2M

$502 ฿16.5K

-19.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

5.57

104.31%

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

Last update for Karawang: August 17, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $139 in Karawang versus $756 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 24% 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 $11.00 in Karawang versus $35.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $272 – making Karawang 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

Karawang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 181% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $672 per month in Karawang and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $448 in Karawang and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $43.30 per month in Karawang and $577 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Karawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karawang costs $448 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Karawang. 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.