Cost of Living Comparison Between Maltepe and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Maltepe and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Maltepe vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,678 per month in Maltepe vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,261 per month in Maltepe vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Maltepe is about 13% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Maltepe and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Maltepe 19% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.39 β‚Ί527
$4.56 ΰΈΏ149
149.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.07 β‚Ί1,391
$46.63 ΰΈΏ1,519
-35.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.52 β‚Ί302
$8.47 ΰΈΏ276
-23.02%
Cappuccino
$2.37 β‚Ί110
$3.03 ΰΈΏ98.6
-21.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 β‚Ί46.23
$0.69 ΰΈΏ22.45
44.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 β‚Ί17.11
$0.37 ΰΈΏ11.92
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.00 β‚Ί92.5
$2.49 ΰΈΏ81.0
-19.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 β‚Ί119
$3.66 ΰΈΏ119
-29.78%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 β‚Ί46.27
$2.18 ΰΈΏ71.0
-54.13%
White Bread (500g)
$0.69 β‚Ί31.88
$1.90 ΰΈΏ62.0
-63.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 β‚Ί101
$2.20 ΰΈΏ71.6
-0.45%
Eggs
$2.18 β‚Ί101
$2.22 ΰΈΏ72.4
-1.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.51 β‚Ί440
$19.99 ΰΈΏ651
-52.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.91 β‚Ί227
$3.66 ΰΈΏ119
34.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.85 β‚Ί918
$13.25 ΰΈΏ432
49.81%
Apples (1kg)
$1.44 β‚Ί66.6
$3.23 ΰΈΏ105
-55.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 β‚Ί100
$1.70 ΰΈΏ55.3
27.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.29 β‚Ί59.7
$2.39 ΰΈΏ78.0
-46.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 β‚Ί75.7
$2.08 ΰΈΏ67.7
-21.15%
Potato (1kg)
$0.70 β‚Ί32.26
$1.59 ΰΈΏ51.8
-55.97%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 β‚Ί31.05
$1.48 ΰΈΏ48.31
-54.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 β‚Ί30.91
$1.03 ΰΈΏ33.54
-34.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 β‚Ί28.65
$0.52 ΰΈΏ16.83
19.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.12 β‚Ί98.1
$4.25 ΰΈΏ138
-50.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.70 β‚Ί495
$18.79 ΰΈΏ612
-43.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 β‚Ί102
$1.76 ΰΈΏ57.2
25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 β‚Ί146
$2.76 ΰΈΏ89.8
14.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 β‚Ί28.98
$1.36 ΰΈΏ44.32
-53.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.26 β‚Ί1,400
$11.36 ΰΈΏ370
166.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 β‚Ί48.76
$3.14 ΰΈΏ102
-66.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.62 β‚Ί28.89
$1.04 ΰΈΏ33.74
-40.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.83 β‚Ί408
$13.77 ΰΈΏ448
-35.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 β‚Ί56.1
$1.34 ΰΈΏ43.79
-9.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.2K β‚Ί2.1M
$27.7K ΰΈΏ901.4K
66.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.9K β‚Ί2.0M
$33.9K ΰΈΏ1.1M
26.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.4 β‚Ί2,887
$124 ΰΈΏ4,025
-49.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.58 β‚Ί536
$13.52 ΰΈΏ440
-14.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.72 β‚Ί589
$18.69 ΰΈΏ609
-31.94%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.99 β‚Ί2,035
$61.8 ΰΈΏ2,013
-28.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25 ΰΈΏ562
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.45 β‚Ί345
$9.14 ΰΈΏ298
-18.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$943 β‚Ί43.6K
$703 ΰΈΏ22.9K
34.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,949 β‚Ί275.2K
$15.9K ΰΈΏ517.0K
-62.52%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.01 β‚Ί1,851
$59.5 ΰΈΏ1,937
-32.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.69 β‚Ί2,114
$35.07 ΰΈΏ1,142
30.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.9 β‚Ί2,678
$115 ΰΈΏ3,754
-49.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 β‚Ί4,947
$84.1 ΰΈΏ2,737
27.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$513 β‚Ί23.7K
$619 ΰΈΏ20.1K
-17.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 β‚Ί18.1K
$433 ΰΈΏ14.1K
-9.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$875 β‚Ί40.5K
$2,062 ΰΈΏ67.2K
-57.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$718 β‚Ί33.2K
$1,511 ΰΈΏ49.2K
-52.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,470 β‚Ί68.0K
$3,646 ΰΈΏ118.7K
-59.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$795 β‚Ί36.8K
$2,626 ΰΈΏ85.5K
-69.72%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Maltepe
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$507 ΰΈΏ16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
32
5.33
500.38%

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

Last update for Maltepe: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Maltepe 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Maltepe versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $293 – making Maltepe 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
Maltepe vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Maltepe?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,643 per month in Maltepe and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Maltepe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Maltepe and Phuket?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Maltepe or Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Maltepe and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Maltepe or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maltepe, where all-in costs run around $1,095, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Maltepe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Maltepe or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Maltepe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Maltepe or 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Maltepe. 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.

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