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 $508 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $755 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,001 in Karawang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 148% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Karawang 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

259.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$8.97 Rp 160.7K

419.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.36 Rp 60.3K

152.08%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

108.97%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.47 Rp 8,442

46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.24 Rp 4,314

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.47 Rp 62.2K

-28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.46 Rp 62.0K

5.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

80.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

79.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

147.19%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

46.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

568.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.98 Rp 53.4K

22.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.65 Rp 137.0K

73.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.96 Rp 35.2K

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

71.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.53 Rp 9,546

292.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

54.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

-10.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.42 Rp 7,530

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.61 Rp 46.8K

62.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$21.71 Rp 388.9K

-13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.10 Rp 37.5K

-16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

-20.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

91.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$10.08 Rp 180.6K

12.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

342.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

35.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

1057.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

57.65%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$24.7K Rp 442.6M

12.03%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$25.8K Rp 462.5M

31.17%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$43.12 Rp 772.6K

186.62%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.55 Rp 81.5K

197.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$13.66 Rp 244.7K

36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$22.04 Rp 394.9K

180.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$15.13 Rp 271.1K

14.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

204.67%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$48.25 Rp 864.4K

1356.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,474 Rp 133.9M

112.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$18.29 Rp 327.6K

225.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$30.36 Rp 543.9K

15.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$52.8 Rp 945.6K

118.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$54.4 Rp 974.5K

54.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$154 Rp 2.8M

302.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

457.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$245 Rp 4.4M

742.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$123 Rp 2.2M

1130.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,141 Rp 20.4M

219.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$643 Rp 11.5M

308.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$408 Rp 7.3M

24.26%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Karawang: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $154 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $9.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $181 – 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 148% 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $763 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $9.00 in Karawang. 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 $508 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $508, 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 $508 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.