Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kutahya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kutahya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $911 in Kutahya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,532 in Kutahya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,152 in Kutahya.

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than Kutahya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kutahya 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿149
$3.73 ₺173
22.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 ฿1,519
$15.25 ₺706
205.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 ฿276
$7.29 ₺337
16.19%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ฿98.6
$3.29 ₺152
-7.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.45
$1.04 ₺47.89
-33.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.92
$0.40 ₺18.31
-7.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 ฿81.0
$3.37 ₺156
-26.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿119
$3.46 ₺160
5.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ฿71.0
$0.97 ₺44.72
124.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ฿62.0
$0.71 ₺32.97
167.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ฿71.6
$2.39 ₺111
-7.95%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿72.4
$2.27 ₺105
-2.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 ฿651
$9.84 ₺455
103.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ฿119
$6.07 ₺281
-39.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 ฿432
$19.51 ₺903
-32.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿105
$1.48 ₺68.4
118.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.3
$2.39 ₺111
-28.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿78.0
$1.32 ₺61.1
81.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿67.7
$1.51 ₺70.0
37.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿51.8
$0.74 ₺34.29
114.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.31
$0.62 ₺28.51
138.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.54
$1.09 ₺50.2
-5.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿16.83
$0.43 ₺19.87
20.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 ฿138
$2.14 ₺98.9
98.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿612
$11.00 ₺509
70.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ฿57.2
$2.09 ₺96.6
-15.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ฿89.8
$3.11 ₺144
-11.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 ฿44.32
$0.67 ₺30.79
102.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 ฿370
$29.87 ₺1,382
-61.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 ฿102
$0.85 ₺39.44
269.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.74
$0.66 ₺30.33
57.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 ฿448
$6.34 ₺293
117.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿43.79
$1.22 ₺56.4
9.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿901.4K
$43.1K ₺2.0M
-35.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$43.2K ₺2.0M
-21.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ฿4,025
$86.1 ₺3,985
43.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ฿440
$10.66 ₺493
26.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 ฿609
$14.15 ₺654
32.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 ฿2,013
$43.31 ₺2,004
42.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 ฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 ฿298
$6.44 ₺298
41.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ฿22.9K
$622 ₺28.8K
13.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿517.0K
$13.5K ₺625.9K
17.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,937
$57.2 ₺2,647
3.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 ฿1,142
$43.77 ₺2,025
-19.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,754
$106 ₺4,916
8.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 ฿2,737
$96.6 ₺4,467
-12.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿20.1K
$276 ₺12.8K
124.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 ฿14.1K
$202 ₺9,330
114.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 ฿67.2K
$879 ₺40.6K
134.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 ฿49.2K
$697 ₺32.2K
116.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 ฿118.7K
$4,864 ₺225.0K
-25.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 ฿85.5K
$2,635 ₺121.9K
-0.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kutahya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 ฿16.5K
$747 ₺34.5K
-32.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
48.4
-88.99%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kutahya: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $276 in Kutahya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kutahya pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Kutahya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $240 per month, with Kutahya 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 Kutahya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Kutahya?
Phuket and Kutahya differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $911 including rent). Kutahya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Kutahya earns 47% less. 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 Kutahya?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $276 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 $703 in Phuket versus $622 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 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $911 in Kutahya versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 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 on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Kutahya?
Expats usually find Kutahya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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