Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Medan versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Medan versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,260 in Medan versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Medan costs roughly 52% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 56% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$4.56 ฿151

-62.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$32.62 ฿1,082

-73.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$8.90 ฿295

-66.74%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$2.80 ฿93.0

-44.64%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$0.88 ฿29.19

-61.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$0.49 ฿16.23

-48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$2.39 ฿79.2

-27.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$3.71 ฿123

-3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.79 ฿59.3

-39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$1.44 ฿47.81

-20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$1.58 ฿52.6

-47.47%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$2.13 ฿70.5

-37.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$19.92 ฿661

-60.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$3.43 ฿114

2.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$11.33 ฿376

-43.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$2.95 ฿97.8

-17.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.72 ฿57.1

-38.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$2.32 ฿77.1

-36.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$2.08 ฿69.0

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.47 ฿48.77

-40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$1.36 ฿45.05

27.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$1.10 ฿36.45

-62.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$0.57 ฿19.06

-22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$4.27 ฿142

-29.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$18.42 ฿611

-10.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$1.87 ฿62.1

2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$2.92 ฿96.9

4.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$2.22 ฿73.6

-87.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$22.90 ฿759

-73.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$3.03 ฿101

-82.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$1.07 ฿35.63

-81.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.49 ฿49.49

-48.32%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$27.1K ฿899.8K

-8.05%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$27.5K ฿910.6K

15.04%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$103 ฿3,410

-15.89%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$10.99 ฿365

-70.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$17.51 ฿581

33.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$53.5 ฿1,776

-68.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$11.20 ฿371

-22.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$7.48 ฿248

-54.14%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$557 ฿18.5K

-79.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-85.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$64.1 ฿2,125

-11.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$29.07 ฿964

34.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$96.0 ฿3,183

9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$90.3 ฿2,997

27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$730 ฿24.2K

-75.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$500 ฿16.6K

-82.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-76.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-82.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$3,596 ฿119.3K

-68.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-77.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$503 ฿16.7K

-57.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

5.57

66.07%

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

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Medan and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 135% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Medan vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $273 per month, with Medan cheaper across the board.

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

Medan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 135% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $177 in Medan versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 277% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Medan versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medan and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.