Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $630 in Pekanbaru versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $998 in Pekanbaru versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,367 in Pekanbaru versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 50% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pekanbaru 54% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

$4.56 ฿151

-68.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.31 Rp 147.7K

$32.62 ฿1,082

-74.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.23 Rp 39.7K

$8.90 ฿295

-74.94%

Cappuccino

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$2.80 ฿93.0

-54.64%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,533

$0.88 ฿29.19

-52.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,889

$0.49 ฿16.23

-55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

$2.39 ฿79.2

-17.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$3.71 ฿123

-18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.79 ฿59.3

-26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

$1.44 ฿47.81

-19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

$1.58 ฿52.6

-47.47%

Eggs

$1.72 Rp 30.5K

$2.13 ฿70.5

-19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 Rp 128.7K

$19.92 ฿661

-63.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.50 Rp 44.4K

$3.43 ฿114

-27.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 Rp 119.9K

$11.33 ฿376

-40.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.95 ฿97.8

-10.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 29.6K

$1.72 ฿57.1

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.3K

$2.32 ฿77.1

2.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

$2.08 ฿69.0

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

$1.47 ฿48.77

-11.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

$1.36 ฿45.05

49.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$1.10 ฿36.45

-32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,512

$0.57 ฿19.06

-35.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

$4.27 ฿142

-48.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.35 Rp 361.6K

$18.42 ฿611

10.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$1.87 ฿62.1

-1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.92 ฿96.9

1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,171

$2.22 ฿73.6

-86.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.60 Rp 152.8K

$22.90 ฿759

-62.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$3.03 ฿101

-68.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,493

$1.07 ฿35.63

-65.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.5K

$3.93 ฿130

-24.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$1.49 ฿49.49

-50.34%

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

$22.8K Rp 405.3M

$27.1K ฿899.8K

-15.89%

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

$26.8K Rp 476.2M

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-2.35%

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

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

$103 ฿3,410

-38.30%

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

$6.32 Rp 112.3K

$10.99 ฿365

-42.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.43 Rp 416.2K

$17.51 ฿581

33.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.64 Rp 508.8K

$53.5 ฿1,776

-46.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 Rp 148.2K

$11.20 ฿371

-25.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$7.48 ฿248

-59.63%

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

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

$557 ฿18.5K

-82.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,876 Rp 139.9M

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-33.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.56 Rp 489.6K

$64.1 ฿2,125

-56.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 Rp 534.2K

$29.07 ฿964

3.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

$96.0 ฿3,183

-41.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 Rp 1.4M

$90.3 ฿2,997

-10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 Rp 3.4M

$730 ฿24.2K

-73.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$500 ฿16.6K

-69.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 Rp 10.0M

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-73.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 Rp 6.6M

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-69.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,260 Rp 22.4M

$3,596 ฿119.3K

-64.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$668 Rp 11.9M

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-73.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 Rp 3.2M

$503 ฿16.7K

-64.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

5.57

69.84%

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $193 in Pekanbaru and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 178% 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: $8.00 in Pekanbaru vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $273 per month, with Pekanbaru 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

Pekanbaru vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 178% 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: $193 in Pekanbaru versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $630 per month in Pekanbaru versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Pekanbaru versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pekanbaru but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pekanbaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pekanbaru 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, Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.