Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karawang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $448 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $815 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $1,182 in Karawang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 181% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Karawang 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

211.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$11.29 Rp 200.6K

210.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$3.45 Rp 61.4K

159.71%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

98.68%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.40 Rp 7,183

92.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.20 Rp 3,550

135.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$3.05 Rp 54.2K

22.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

61.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

80.23%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

48.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

621.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$2.82 Rp 50.1K

23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$7.76 Rp 137.9K

42.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

60.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

52.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

83.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$0.51 Rp 9,104

311.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

63.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

-8.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.65 Rp 11.6K

67.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.43 Rp 7,709

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

67.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$22.86 Rp 406.3K

-18.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$3.17 Rp 56.4K

-6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

283.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

249.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.55 Rp 9,819

98.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

232.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

88.61%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$21.4K Rp 381.2M

27.94%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$29.4K Rp 522.4M

-6.40%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$33.67 Rp 598.5K

202.38%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$4.27 Rp 76.0K

164.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$12.52 Rp 222.5K

41.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$20.05 Rp 356.4K

170.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$8.54 Rp 151.8K

28.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$2.83 Rp 50.3K

177.39%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$43.30 Rp 769.6K

1232.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$8,440 Rp 150.0M

37.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$16.60 Rp 295.0K

293.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$28.01 Rp 497.8K

3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$49.61 Rp 881.7K

99.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$48.89 Rp 869.0K

84.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$139 Rp 2.5M

444.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

596.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$551 Rp 9.8M

278.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$366 Rp 6.5M

229.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,171 Rp 20.8M

206.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$696 Rp 12.4M

274.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$404 Rp 7.2M

24.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.38

-51.05%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Karawang: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Phuket versus $139 in Karawang. 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 24% 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 $11.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $174 – making Karawang 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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 181% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Phuket and $672 in Karawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $448 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Phuket and $43.30 in Karawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Karawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karawang costs $448 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Karawang. 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.