Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Itu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $671 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,213 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,755 in Itu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 84% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Itu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Itu 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$5.21 R$25.99

-11.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$33.16 R$165

41.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.71 R$28.49

54.82%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.74 R$8.71

72.41%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.69 R$3.42

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.47 R$2.34

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.75 R$8.73

39.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.32 R$16.57

8.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.98 R$4.89

130.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.31 R$6.55

40.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.25 R$6.24

79.20%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.37 R$11.81

-2.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.24 R$41.13

138.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.58 R$17.86

1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$5.31 R$26.48

146.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.67 R$8.31

102.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.25 R$6.22

31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.70 R$3.48

244.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.52 R$7.59

33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.86 R$4.27

81.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.08 R$5.39

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.75 R$3.73

36.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.44 R$2.19

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.66 R$13.26

67.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.88 R$29.33

221.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.39 R$6.92

28.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.71 R$13.53

1.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.92 R$4.59

52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$38.45 R$192

-70.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.92 R$4.57

239.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.88 R$4.41

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$8.55 R$42.65

64.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.92 R$4.57

46.74%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$22.0K R$110.0K

23.30%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.4K R$126.7K

29.71%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$47.39 R$236

163.73%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.63 R$53.1

27.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$15.56 R$77.7

19.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$22.87 R$114

168.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.59 R$108

-22.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.37 R$21.78

110.30%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$315 R$1,572

121.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,934 R$34.6K

124.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$45.12 R$225

28.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$35.85 R$179

-1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$62.9 R$314

79.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$45.75 R$228

88.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$290 R$1,445

112.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$183 R$915

143.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$725 R$3,619

182.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$590 R$2,946

152.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,662 R$8,296

127.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,171 R$5,842

126.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$300 R$1,499

74.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.92

-51.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Itu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $290 in Itu. 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 74% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in Itu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $159 – making Itu 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 Itu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $671 in Itu – roughly 84% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,006 in Itu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $33.00 in Itu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $671 in Itu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itu, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Itu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $671 in Itu to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Itu. 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.