Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iskenderun Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iskenderun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,152 in Iskenderun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,775 in Iskenderun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,397 in Iskenderun, rent included.

Phuket costs about 10% more than Iskenderun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Iskenderun are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Iskenderun 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.25 ₺297

-28.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$30.05 ₺1,428

51.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.30 ₺395

5.54%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.92 ₺139

1.71%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.43 ₺68.1

-51.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.63 ₺29.87

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.86 ₺183

-34.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.94 ₺235

-24.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.99 ₺47.05

117.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.76 ₺35.98

139.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.27 ₺108

-3.96%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.14 ₺102

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.59 ₺646

47.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.98 ₺284

-39.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$21.17 ₺1,006

-35.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.25 ₺59.5

159.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.99 ₺94.8

-17.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.99 ₺47.14

135.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.59 ₺75.5

30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.02 ₺48.68

51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.59 ₺28.24

147.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.88 ₺42.02

11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.36 ₺17.33

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.14 ₺102

103.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.71 ₺509

73.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.14 ₺102

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.85 ₺136

-7.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.68 ₺32.11

108.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$30.06 ₺1,429

-61.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.75 ₺35.57

322.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.61 ₺28.87

68.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$7.44 ₺354

86.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.17 ₺55.4

14.53%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$43.9K ₺2.1M

-36.67%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$44.1K ₺2.1M

-24.27%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$75.5 ₺3,587

63.04%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.70 ₺889

-26.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$13.90 ₺661

31.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$43.94 ₺2,089

38.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.75 ₺273

54.26%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$460 ₺21.9K

49.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,066 ₺240.8K

211.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$50.8 ₺2,412

16.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$44.19 ₺2,100

-21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$151 ₺7,156

-23.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$88.8 ₺4,222

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$515 ₺24.5K

20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$397 ₺18.9K

12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$877 ₺41.7K

131.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$718 ₺34.1K

108.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,297 ₺61.7K

166.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$997 ₺47.4K

153.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,141 ₺54.2K

-56.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-83.34%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Iskenderun: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $515 in Iskenderun. 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 131% higher in Iskenderun, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Iskenderun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $249 – making Iskenderun 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

Phuket vs Iskenderun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,728 in Iskenderun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iskenderun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $460 in Iskenderun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iskenderun, where all-in costs run around $1,152, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Iskenderun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Iskenderun – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Iskenderun. 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.