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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,243 per month in Phuket vs $727 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Phuket vs $1,339 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Phuket vs $1,952 in Itu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 71% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Itu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Itu 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ฿147

$5.53 R$28.89

-20.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.87 ฿1,103

$38.09 R$199

-13.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 ฿282

$6.04 R$31.54

38.91%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿91.8

$1.84 R$9.59

48.37%

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

$0.88 ฿29.59

$0.76 R$3.95

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.92

$0.46 R$2.39

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.1

$2.41 R$12.60

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$4.55 R$23.74

-18.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿61.5

$1.02 R$5.32

79.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.58

$1.43 R$7.45

1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.13 R$5.92

39.82%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.4

$2.62 R$13.71

-19.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.37 ฿650

$8.78 R$45.87

120.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿115

$3.81 R$19.91

-10.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 ฿368

$5.62 R$29.36

95.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ฿101

$1.71 R$8.92

75.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.9

$1.30 R$6.81

26.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.1

$0.74 R$3.88

198.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.2

$1.80 R$9.39

17.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.34

$0.94 R$4.90

56.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.37

$1.36 R$7.13

-2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.93

$0.75 R$3.90

42.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.61

$0.50 R$2.59

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$2.66 R$13.89

64.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ฿624

$5.79 R$30.22

221.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿58.6

$1.62 R$8.48

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿95.8

$2.90 R$15.17

-1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.94 R$4.93

140.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿771

$38.91 R$203

-40.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿98.7

$0.98 R$5.10

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.84

$0.98 R$5.13

9.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$8.96 R$46.78

-57.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.96

$0.93 R$4.84

56.99%

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

$27.2K ฿912.2K

$22.8K R$119.0K

19.35%

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

$26.6K ฿893.5K

$27.2K R$142.1K

-2.17%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$43.99 R$230

131.76%

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

$10.96 ฿368

$11.31 R$59.0

-3.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.89 ฿567

$15.95 R$83.3

5.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,758

$25.37 R$132

106.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿367

$27.09 R$141

-59.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ฿252

$4.66 R$24.34

61.37%

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

$547 ฿18.3K

$421 R$2,200

29.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.5K

$7,354 R$38.4K

53.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ฿2,122

$48.15 R$251

31.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ฿981

$38.73 R$202

-24.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ฿3,282

$67.4 R$352

45.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 ฿2,909

$47.45 R$248

82.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

$306 R$1,600

135.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.0K

$194 R$1,012

145.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 ฿69.8K

$753 R$3,933

176.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 ฿40.1K

$640 R$3,345

86.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.0K

$1,585 R$8,279

125.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 ฿85.3K

$1,103 R$5,759

130.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 ฿16.4K

$282 R$1,474

73.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Last update for Itu: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $306 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 73% 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Itu. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Phuket vs $170 in Itu – so Itu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,243 in Phuket, $727 in Itu – roughly 71% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,865 per month in Phuket and $1,090 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 $33.00 in Phuket and $38.00 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 $1,243 in Phuket and $727 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 $727, than in Phuket at $1,243. 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 $727 in Itu to $1,243 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.