Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $603 per month in Manado vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $929 per month in Manado vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,255 per month in Manado vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Manado is about 51% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manado and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Manado 55% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 21.9K

$4.63 ฿151

-72.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.38 Rp 162.0K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-79.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 54.3K

$8.84 ฿287

-64.48%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 28.7K

$3.00 ฿97.4

-44.67%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,542

$0.74 ฿24.11

-56.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,513

$0.37 ฿11.88

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 Rp 63.3K

$2.44 ฿79.3

50.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 Rp 101.4K

$3.61 ฿117

62.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

$2.26 ฿73.5

-46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 Rp 15.7K

$1.84 ฿59.8

-50.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 Rp 12.7K

$2.24 ฿73.0

-67.41%

Eggs

$1.82 Rp 31.4K

$2.32 ฿75.3

-21.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 136.5K

$19.67 ฿639

-59.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 Rp 53.1K

$3.65 ฿119

-15.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 Rp 133.6K

$13.10 ฿426

-40.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 48.6K

$3.39 ฿110

-16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 25.4K

$1.64 ฿53.4

-10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

$2.41 ฿78.5

-22.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 22.5K

$2.03 ฿66.0

-35.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 23.6K

$1.56 ฿50.6

-12.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.8K

$1.50 ฿48.66

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

$1.02 ฿33.30

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,199

$0.49 ฿15.91

-4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 Rp 40.1K

$4.45 ฿145

-47.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$28.87 Rp 498.4K

$18.88 ฿614

52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.2K

$1.78 ฿57.7

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 Rp 54.6K

$2.75 ฿89.5

14.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,581

$1.40 ฿45.54

-77.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.60 Rp 165.8K

$11.48 ฿373

-16.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,288

$3.12 ฿101

-82.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,397

$1.00 ฿32.48

-63.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 Rp 51.1K

$14.09 ฿458

-78.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 13.8K

$1.35 ฿43.93

-40.74%

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

$24.7K Rp 426.1M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-9.22%

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

$27.2K Rp 469.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-17.50%

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

$24.75 Rp 427.3K

$125 ฿4,063

-80.20%

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

$4.32 Rp 74.6K

$13.57 ฿441

-68.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.13 Rp 399.4K

$18.52 ฿602

24.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.53 Rp 319.9K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-69.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 105.6K

$16.84 ฿547

-63.66%

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 Rp 45.9K

$9.19 ฿299

-71.06%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$698 ฿22.7K

-86.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,155 Rp 89.0M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-66.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$57.8 ฿1,878

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.46 Rp 422.3K

$35.24 ฿1,146

-30.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 Rp 1.6M

$113 ฿3,677

-17.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$86.4 ฿2,808

-13.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.7M

$616 ฿20.0K

-46.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$446 ฿14.5K

-77.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 Rp 5.6M

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.2M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-87.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 Rp 20.8M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-68.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 Rp 13.5M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-70.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 3.8M

$524 ฿17.0K

-57.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

87.62%

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

Last update for Manado: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Manado versus $616 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 137% 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 Manado versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $292 – making Manado 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

Manado vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 104%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $905 per month in Manado and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 20% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $92.1 per month in Manado and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manado, where all-in costs run around $603, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manado – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Manado. 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.