Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Magelang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Magelang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $537 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $837 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,137 in Magelang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 129% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Magelang 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

219.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$8.25 Rp 146.1K

291.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$2.73 Rp 48.3K

227.11%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

276.62%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.35 Rp 6,229

151.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.18 Rp 3,214

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

70.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

76.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

26.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

91.36%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

73.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.73 Rp 119.2K

191.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.41 Rp 42.7K

41.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.03 Rp 124.4K

61.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

46.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

47.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

140.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.00 Rp 17.7K

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.37 Rp 6,496

48.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

118.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$17.10 Rp 302.7K

11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.52 Rp 26.8K

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.29 Rp 5,177

668.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$8.70 Rp 154.1K

161.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.46 Rp 8,164

558.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.35 Rp 6,219

191.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

69.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.71 Rp 12.5K

109.86%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$25.7K Rp 455.8M

3.27%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$29.6K Rp 524.1M

-8.69%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$46.91 Rp 830.6K

118.44%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$4.00 Rp 70.9K

183.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$19.93 Rp 352.9K

-12.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$13.84 Rp 245.1K

276.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$3.77 Rp 66.8K

193.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$2.52 Rp 44.6K

205.16%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$45.71 Rp 809.3K

1126.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,913 Rp 69.3M

194.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$20.17 Rp 357.1K

212.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$20.11 Rp 356.1K

46.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

69.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$54.6 Rp 966.4K

62.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$232 Rp 4.1M

218.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$158 Rp 2.8M

205.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$568 Rp 10.1M

271.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$373 Rp 6.6M

229.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,201 Rp 21.3M

201.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$664 Rp 11.8M

292.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$178 Rp 3.2M

176.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.5

-25.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Magelang: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $232 in Magelang. 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 177% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $8.00 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $170 – making Magelang 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 Magelang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $537 in Magelang – roughly 129% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $806 in Magelang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 61% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $8.00 in Magelang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $537, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Magelang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $537 in Magelang to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Magelang. 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.