🙂A single person spends $659 per month in Palangkaraya vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,010 per month in Palangkaraya vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,360 per month in Palangkaraya vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Palangkaraya is about 48% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Palangkaraya and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Palangkaraya50% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.49Rp 27.0K
$4.48฿150
-66.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.13Rp 218.9K
$45.59฿1,521
-73.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.94Rp 71.1K
$8.76฿292
-55.02%
Cappuccino
$1.64Rp 29.6K
$2.97฿99.0
-44.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55Rp 9,884
$0.69฿22.90
-20.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30Rp 5,366
$0.39฿13.04
-23.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.73Rp 49.4K
$2.53฿84.4
7.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48Rp 62.8K
$3.75฿125
-7.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.21Rp 21.8K
$2.15฿71.6
-43.72%
White Bread(500g)
$1.34Rp 24.2K
$1.82฿60.6
-26.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.88Rp 15.8K
$2.18฿72.9
-59.63%
Eggs
$1.52Rp 27.5K
$2.25฿75.0
-32.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.36Rp 150.9K
$20.00฿667
-58.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.41Rp 43.6K
$3.63฿121
-33.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.88Rp 142.2K
$13.56฿452
-41.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.52Rp 45.4K
$3.24฿108
-22.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.90Rp 34.3K
$1.64฿54.6
15.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.86Rp 33.5K
$2.33฿77.8
-20.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.10Rp 19.9K
$2.07฿69.1
-46.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.33Rp 24.1K
$1.55฿51.6
-14.19%
Onion(1kg)
$3.13Rp 56.4K
$1.46฿48.54
114.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.59Rp 10.7K
$0.98฿32.86
-39.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45Rp 8,063
$0.48฿16.09
-6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.81Rp 32.6K
$4.35฿145
-58.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.46Rp 369.4K
$18.57฿620
10.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12Rp 38.3K
$1.86฿61.9
13.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10Rp 56.0K
$2.65฿88.6
16.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30Rp 5,354
$1.42฿47.28
-78.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.12Rp 182.8K
$11.57฿386
-12.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.56Rp 10.1K
$3.17฿106
-82.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35Rp 6,254
$1.03฿34.41
-66.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.91Rp 52.5K
$13.89฿463
-79.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.72Rp 13.1K
$1.34฿44.84
-46.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9KRp 449.3M
$27.8K฿927.1K
-10.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4KRp 495.3M
$33.4K฿1.1M
-17.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$68.8Rp 1.2M
$123฿4,105
-44.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.38Rp 79.1K
$13.77฿459
-68.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.19Rp 346.4K
$18.33฿611
4.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$6.32Rp 114.1K
$60.7฿2,025
-89.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.26Rp 113.0K
$17.16฿573
-63.52%
Cinema Ticket
$3.03Rp 54.8K
$8.87฿296
-65.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$95.1Rp 1.7M
$688฿22.9K
-86.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,558Rp 136.4M
$15.8K฿526.4K
-52.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.89Rp 738.3K
$59.3฿1,978
-31.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.20Rp 545.2K
$34.69฿1,157
-12.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.3Rp 1.2M
$115฿3,843
-41.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.9Rp 1.3M
$83.8฿2,794
-11.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$257Rp 4.6M
$621฿20.7K
-58.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$157Rp 2.8M
$446฿14.9K
-64.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$588Rp 10.6M
$2,034฿67.8K
-71.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$329Rp 5.9M
$1,496฿49.9K
-78.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,000Rp 18.0M
$3,455฿115.3K
-71.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$681Rp 12.3M
$2,531฿84.4K
-73.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Palangkaraya
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$162Rp 2.9M
$494฿16.5K
-67.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
5.33
71.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Palangkaraya: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Palangkaraya versus $621 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 204% 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 $12.00 in Palangkaraya versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $291 – making Palangkaraya 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
Palangkaraya vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Palangkaraya or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 92% more than Palangkaraya, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Palangkaraya and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $989 per month in Palangkaraya and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Palangkaraya or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Palangkaraya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Palangkaraya and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $95.1 per month in Palangkaraya and $688 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Palangkaraya or in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 39% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Palangkaraya or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Palangkaraya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Palangkaraya or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palangkaraya costs $659 versus $1,264 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Palangkaraya compared to 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.
Should I move to Palangkaraya or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Palangkaraya. 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.
Palangkaraya vs other spots: cost of living compared