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: $671 in Pekanbaru versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $972 in Pekanbaru versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,273 in Pekanbaru versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pekanbaru 50% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$4.70 ฿153

-66.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-79.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

$8.43 ฿275

-71.17%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$2.93 ฿95.6

-53.92%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,881

$0.69 ฿22.40

-27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,259

$0.37 ฿11.99

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$2.41 ฿78.6

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

$3.72 ฿122

-11.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$2.23 ฿72.9

-39.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.83 ฿59.8

-34.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$2.17 ฿70.8

-54.84%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$2.21 ฿72.3

-22.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

$19.74 ฿645

-13.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$3.63 ฿119

-27.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

$13.53 ฿442

-24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

$3.28 ฿107

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.61 ฿52.6

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$2.41 ฿78.6

-17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$2.08 ฿68.1

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.53 ฿49.93

-33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

$1.48 ฿48.36

12.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$0.99 ฿32.29

51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,024

$0.51 ฿16.67

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$4.41 ฿144

-48.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

$19.38 ฿633

8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$1.78 ฿58.1

57.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

$2.71 ฿88.6

50.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,261

$1.37 ฿44.79

-78.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$11.39 ฿372

-20.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

$3.02 ฿98.6

-70.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 Rp 7,814

$0.99 ฿32.48

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$14.10 ฿461

-84.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$1.36 ฿44.51

-43.38%

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

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-19.56%

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

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.76%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$122 ฿3,975

-43.05%

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

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

$13.57 ฿443

-50.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

$18.31 ฿598

54.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-61.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

$17.14 ฿560

-28.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

$8.69 ฿284

-62.14%

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

$175 Rp 3.1M

$693 ฿22.6K

-74.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-80.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-42.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

$34.77 ฿1,136

4.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

$115 ฿3,743

-43.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

$83.3 ฿2,720

-8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$613 ฿20.0K

-57.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 Rp 2.2M

$437 ฿14.3K

-72.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Rp 16.2M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-56.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-89.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-72.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 Rp 12.9M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-72.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 Rp 3.4M

$508 ฿16.6K

-62.57%

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 Pekanbaru: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Pekanbaru and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 167% 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 Pekanbaru vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $293 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 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 167% less. 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: $258 in Pekanbaru versus $613 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 $9.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $671 per month in Pekanbaru versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Pekanbaru versus $1,265 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 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.