🙂A single person spends $578 per month in Magelang vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $892 per month in Magelang vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,206 per month in Magelang vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Magelang is about 54% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Magelang and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Magelang57% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.50Rp 26.9K
$4.56฿149
-67.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.40Rp 168.4K
$46.63฿1,519
-79.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.96Rp 53.1K
$8.47฿276
-65.05%
Cappuccino
$0.85Rp 15.2K
$3.03฿98.6
-71.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38Rp 6,881
$0.69฿22.45
-44.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16Rp 2,954
$0.37฿11.92
-56.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.46Rp 26.2K
$2.49฿81.0
-41.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93Rp 52.4K
$3.66฿119
-19.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10Rp 19.7K
$2.18฿71.0
-49.54%
White Bread(500g)
$1.21Rp 21.6K
$1.90฿62.0
-36.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.87Rp 15.6K
$2.20฿71.6
-60.45%
Eggs
$1.50Rp 26.8K
$2.22฿72.4
-32.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.17Rp 128.4K
$19.99฿651
-64.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.64Rp 47.4K
$3.66฿119
-27.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.81Rp 139.8K
$13.25฿432
-41.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.26Rp 40.6K
$3.23฿105
-30.03%
Banana(1kg)
$1.24Rp 22.2K
$1.70฿55.3
-27.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.39Rp 24.9K
$2.39฿78.0
-41.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.01Rp 18.1K
$2.08฿67.7
-51.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.07Rp 19.2K
$1.59฿51.8
-32.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49Rp 26.7K
$1.48฿48.31
0.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85Rp 15.2K
$1.03฿33.54
-17.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40Rp 7,119
$0.52฿16.83
-23.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54Rp 45.5K
$4.25฿138
-40.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.80Rp 301.1K
$18.79฿612
-10.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70Rp 30.4K
$1.76฿57.2
-3.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40Rp 43.0K
$2.76฿89.8
-13.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.33Rp 5,831
$1.36฿44.32
-75.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.90Rp 177.4K
$11.36฿370
-12.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.44Rp 7,895
$3.14฿102
-85.99%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29Rp 5,176
$1.04฿33.74
-72.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39Rp 42.8K
$13.77฿448
-82.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.77Rp 13.7K
$1.34฿43.79
-42.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7KRp 513.8M
$27.7K฿901.4K
3.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7KRp 567.5M
$33.9K฿1.1M
-6.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$50.7Rp 908.4K
$124฿4,025
-58.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.18Rp 74.9K
$13.52฿440
-69.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.23Rp 344.5K
$18.69฿609
2.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.85Rp 266.0K
$61.8฿2,013
-75.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.90Rp 69.9K
$17.25฿562
-77.39%
Cinema Ticket
$2.71Rp 48.5K
$9.14฿298
-70.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$49.85Rp 893.1K
$703฿22.9K
-92.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,285Rp 76.8M
$15.9K฿517.0K
-73.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.81Rp 390.7K
$59.5฿1,937
-63.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.16Rp 379.2K
$35.07฿1,142
-39.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.1Rp 1.1M
$115฿3,754
-44.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.6Rp 1.1M
$84.1฿2,737
-30.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$259Rp 4.6M
$619฿20.1K
-58.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$160Rp 2.9M
$433฿14.1K
-63.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$575Rp 10.3M
$2,062฿67.2K
-72.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$337Rp 6.0M
$1,511฿49.2K
-77.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,146Rp 20.5M
$3,646฿118.7K
-68.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$678Rp 12.1M
$2,626฿85.5K
-74.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Magelang
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$169Rp 3.0M
$507฿16.5K
-66.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.33
5.33
56.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Magelang: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Magelang versus $619 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 200% 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 $9.00 in Magelang versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $293 – making Magelang 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
Magelang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Magelang and Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $578 in Magelang, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 118% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Magelang compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $867 per month in Magelang and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Magelang and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Magelang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 62% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Magelang and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $578, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Magelang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Magelang and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $578 in Magelang to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Magelang or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Magelang and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Magelang. 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.