Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jambi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jambi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $652 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,017 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,381 in Jambi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 93% more expensive than in Jambi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Jambi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

161.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,562

$18.29 Rp 328.1K

153.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

151.45%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

119.15%

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

$0.68 ฿22.85

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

-45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.41

$0.21 Rp 3,759

76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

52.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

86.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.2

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

61.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

147.73%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.3

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿671

$8.33 Rp 149.3K

139.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$3.07 Rp 55.0K

18.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$7.98 Rp 143.1K

69.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

41.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

11.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.6

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

28.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

29.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

15.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

-21.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.11

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

10.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.41 Rp 7,335

17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$2.55 Rp 45.8K

74.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

$22.18 Rp 397.7K

-16.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

-12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

-9.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$0.30 Rp 5,371

373.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$9.80 Rp 175.7K

15.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$0.53 Rp 9,547

483.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$0.34 Rp 6,134

205.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

378.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.15

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

72.37%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

$24.4K Rp 436.9M

11.98%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.7K Rp 496.8M

19.94%

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

$123 ฿4,149

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

78.36%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$4.40 Rp 78.9K

213.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$22.34 Rp 400.7K

-17.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

$16.79 Rp 301.1K

259.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

$6.01 Rp 107.9K

179.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

214.13%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

621.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

$7,592 Rp 136.2M

104.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

$42.28 Rp 758.2K

36.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$31.14 Rp 558.4K

11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

70.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

15.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$258 Rp 4.6M

139.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$157 Rp 2.8M

182.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$588 Rp 10.5M

248.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

$332 Rp 6.0M

353.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

$1,111 Rp 19.9M

221.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

$769 Rp 13.8M

226.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$203 Rp 3.6M

148.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jambi: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $258 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 148% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Jambi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $210 per month, with Jambi 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 Jambi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Jambi differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $652 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 148% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $258 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $652 in Jambi – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 16% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $652 in Jambi versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jambi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Jambi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Jambi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.