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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $582 per month in Manado vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $892 per month in Manado vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Manado vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Manado is about 54% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manado and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Manado 57% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$4.56 ฿149

-73.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.45 Rp 169.2K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-79.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$8.47 ฿276

-63.28%

Cappuccino

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

$3.03 ฿98.6

-46.53%

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

$0.30 Rp 5,314

$0.69 ฿22.45

-56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,685

$0.37 ฿11.92

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

$2.49 ฿81.0

52.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 Rp 101.6K

$3.66 ฿119

54.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$2.18 ฿71.0

-46.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$1.90 ฿62.0

-53.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$2.20 ฿71.6

-65.91%

Eggs

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

$2.22 ฿72.4

-14.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 146.3K

$19.99 ฿651

-59.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

$3.66 ฿119

-11.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 Rp 143.3K

$13.25 ฿432

-39.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

$3.23 ฿105

-12.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.70 ฿55.3

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.39 ฿78.0

-24.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

$2.08 ฿67.7

-37.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-16.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$1.48 ฿48.31

27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

$1.03 ฿33.54

-5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,603

$0.52 ฿16.83

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

$4.25 ฿138

-42.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.81 Rp 372.8K

$18.79 ฿612

10.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

$1.76 ฿57.2

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

$2.76 ฿89.8

16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,341

$1.36 ฿44.32

-74.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.11 Rp 181.1K

$11.36 ฿370

-11.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,601

$3.14 ฿102

-82.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,652

$1.04 ฿33.74

-64.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

$13.77 ฿448

-78.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.34 ฿43.79

-42.54%

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

$24.5K Rp 438.1M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-11.65%

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

$27.2K Rp 487.3M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-19.68%

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

$25.00 Rp 447.8K

$124 ฿4,025

-79.77%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

$13.52 ฿440

-68.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 Rp 400.0K

$18.69 ฿609

19.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.56 Rp 332.6K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-69.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 109.8K

$17.25 ฿562

-64.46%

Cinema Ticket

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

$9.14 ฿298

-72.21%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$703 ฿22.9K

-86.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,063 Rp 90.7M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-68.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

$59.5 ฿1,937

5.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 Rp 438.6K

$35.07 ฿1,142

-30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$115 ฿3,754

-19.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$84.1 ฿2,737

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 Rp 5.8M

$619 ฿20.1K

-47.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 Rp 1.8M

$433 ฿14.1K

-76.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 Rp 5.8M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-84.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-87.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-67.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-74.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$507 ฿16.5K

-58.86%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $322 in Manado 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 143% 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: $207 vs $293 – 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 117%, 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 $873 per month in Manado and $1,892 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 12% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Manado and $703 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 $582, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.