Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kutahya

For one person, living is cheaper in Kutahya: $837 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Kutahya, Turkey
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Kutahya
🇹🇷 Turkey
$837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kutahya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kutahya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $837 in Kutahya.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Kutahya $837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,368 in Kutahya.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Kutahya $1,368

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,899 in Kutahya.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Kutahya $1,899

Living in Phuket is roughly 55% more expensive than in Kutahya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Kutahya 38% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$6.81 ₺341
-35.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,085
$44.60 ₺2,231
-27.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿292
$10.03 ₺502
-13.26%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.5
$3.15 ₺158
-13.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.25
$0.99 ₺49.43
-6.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.78
$0.41 ₺20.64
21.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.0
$4.99 ₺249
-49.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$6.52 ₺326
-44.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.4
$1.18 ₺59.0
47.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.73
$0.37 ₺18.48
291.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.53 ₺76.3
-1.96%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.0
$1.41 ₺70.4
53.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿641
$9.19 ₺460
107.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$2.64 ₺132
28.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿366
$18.05 ₺903
-39.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.8
$0.49 ₺24.46
500.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.8
$1.85 ₺92.5
-8.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.7
$0.67 ₺33.76
226.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.4
$0.67 ₺33.38
216.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.99
$0.29 ₺14.42
403.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.95
$0.29 ₺14.45
372.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.14
$0.48 ₺23.89
125.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.32
$0.48 ₺23.89
14.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.22 ₺111
99.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿613
$12.03 ₺602
51.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.5
$2.23 ₺112
-20.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.8
$3.28 ₺164
-12.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.62
$0.73 ₺36.32
98.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,844
$24.74 ₺1,238
121.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.8
$0.98 ₺49.21
54.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.06
$0.31 ₺15.53
151.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$8.16 ₺408
-52.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.96
$1.40 ₺69.9
6.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿902.9K
$47.0K ₺2.4M
-42.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿884.9K
$41.1K ₺2.1M
-35.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,285
$102 ₺5,123
-4.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿379
$10.90 ₺545
3.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿577
$14.99 ₺750
14.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,295
$30.61 ₺1,531
123.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿367
$19.67 ₺984
-44.48%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿250
$6.03 ₺301
23.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.8K
$1,110 ₺55.5K
-52.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿630.9K
$22.6K ₺1.1M
-16.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,072
$17.98 ₺900
242.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿949
$20.17 ₺1,009
40.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,225
$80.1 ₺4,007
19.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,916
$97.1 ₺4,857
-10.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.2K
$197 ₺9,870
265.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.1K
$180 ₺9,002
182.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.5K
$505 ₺25.3K
286.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.9K
$395 ₺19.8K
253.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.8K
$2,712 ₺135.7K
54.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.8K
$1,547 ₺77.4K
113.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.5K
$689 ₺34.4K
-28.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
40
-86.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kutahya: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Kutahya
$180 64.6% $329
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Kutahya
$193 27.8% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Kutahya
$128 1.6% $2
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Kutahya
$97 21% $26
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Kutahya
$166 38.8% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Kutahya
$43 48.7% $41
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Kutahya
$30 54.3% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $197 in Kutahya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kutahya pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $45 in Kutahya. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $193, with Kutahya cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇹🇷 Kutahya
🕒 Local time
17:37 5:37 PM
13:37 1:37 PM
4 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
573,642
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 50.02 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.21 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kutahya 7,600 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kutahya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kutahya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Kutahya?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $837 in Kutahya, so Kutahya is about 35% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Kutahya?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $197 in Kutahya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Kutahya?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $1,110 in Kutahya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $837 in Kutahya versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Kutahya but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kutahya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Kutahya?
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.
Is Phuket or Kutahya safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kutahya are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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