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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $722 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $1,311 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $1,899 in Itu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 75% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Itu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Itu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$5.53 R$28.70

-19.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$38.99 R$202

-10.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.10 R$31.67

46.89%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.80 R$9.37

66.67%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.76 R$3.94

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.47 R$2.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$2.37 R$12.33

1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$4.49 R$23.32

-16.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.08 R$5.59

68.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.40 R$7.28

1.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.16 R$6.02

33.62%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.64 R$13.71

-19.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$8.63 R$44.83

128.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.76 R$19.54

-7.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$5.85 R$30.40

89.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.69 R$8.78

72.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.31 R$6.81

26.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$0.75 R$3.90

202.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.81 R$9.42

16.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.92 R$4.79

59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.36 R$7.06

3.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.79 R$4.12

37.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.46 R$2.40

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.76 R$14.32

62.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$5.60 R$29.07

234.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.63 R$8.48

12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.90 R$15.07

1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.94 R$4.86

140.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$45.52 R$236

-49.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.93 R$4.83

226.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.98 R$5.10

11.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$9.26 R$48.06

-58.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$0.94 R$4.88

58.51%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$23.0K R$119.6K

19.10%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$26.5K R$137.4K

3.98%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$44.96 R$233

126.45%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$11.71 R$60.8

-3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$16.53 R$85.8

7.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$25.07 R$130

116.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$26.26 R$136

-58.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$4.88 R$25.33

60.86%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$421 R$2,184

37.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$7,380 R$38.3K

57.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$48.33 R$251

35.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$37.74 R$196

-23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$67.3 R$349

47.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$47.41 R$246

90.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$308 R$1,597

145.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$192 R$997

153.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$759 R$3,943

174.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$640 R$3,325

88.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,612 R$8,373

122.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$1,158 R$6,014

125.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$283 R$1,468

77.62%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Itu: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Phuket versus $308 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 78% 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 $35.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Itu. Groceries tell a different story – $272 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $722 in Itu – roughly 75% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Phuket and $1,083 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 $35.00 in Phuket and $39.00 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $722 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 $722, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $722 in Itu to $1,261 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.