ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,073 in Esenyurt.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,681 in Esenyurt.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,289 in Esenyurt.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than Esenyurt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Esenyurt20% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$9.44âš426
-50.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$30.68âš1,385
52.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$7.42âš335
19.14%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$2.83âš128
6.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$1.13âš51.0
-34.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$0.42âš19.14
-11.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$2.21âš99.9
10.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$2.27âš102
59.03%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$0.96âš43.22
135.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$0.80âš36.26
130.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$1.95âš88.2
14.87%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$1.96âš88.6
18.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$9.15âš413
114.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$5.64âš255
-35.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$18.42âš832
-28.88%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$1.42âš64.0
138.73%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$2.19âš98.7
-25.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$1.32âš59.7
82.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$1.55âš69.9
30.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$0.76âš34.29
105.26%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$0.46âš20.74
226.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$0.90âš40.54
13.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$0.28âš12.49
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$2.19âš98.7
103.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$12.29âš555
53.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.98âš89.2
-10.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$2.07âš93.6
32.85%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$0.63âš28.52
122.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$30.19âš1,363
-61.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$0.96âš43.13
225.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$0.59âš26.82
69.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$8.98âš405
56.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.21âš54.5
11.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$41.8Kâš1.9M
-35.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$42.9Kâš1.9M
-23.21%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$57.9âš2,612
115.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$9.79âš442
38.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$11.93âš539
55.24%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$43.20âš1,950
42.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$7.82âš353
17.52%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$364âš16.4K
92.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$17.9Kâš806.7K
-12.75%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$57.2âš2,582
0.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$44.47âš2,007
-20.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$103âš4,628
10.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$80.2âš3,618
7.77%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$514âš23.2K
19.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$399âš18.0K
11.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$874âš39.5K
134.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$704âš31.8K
112.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$1,340âš60.5K
182.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$946âš42.7K
179.86%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Esenyurt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
$1,045âš47.2K
-49.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
42.62
-87.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Esenyurt: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $514 in Esenyurt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Esenyurt pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Esenyurt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $226 per month, with Esenyurt 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
Phuket vs Esenyurt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Esenyurt?
Phuket and Esenyurt differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,073 including rent). Esenyurt is meaningfully more affordable â a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Esenyurt earns 100% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Esenyurt?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $514 in Esenyurt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Esenyurt?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $364 in Esenyurt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,073 in Esenyurt versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Esenyurt but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Esenyurt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Esenyurt?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better â the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Esenyurt safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Esenyurt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Esenyurt?
Expats usually find Esenyurt gentler on the wallet â expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.