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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $578 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $892 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,206 in Magelang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 118% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Magelang 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

204.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$9.40 Rp 168.4K

396.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$2.96 Rp 53.1K

186.15%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

256.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.38 Rp 6,881

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.16 Rp 2,954

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

70.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.93 Rp 52.4K

24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

98.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

57.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

152.87%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.17 Rp 128.4K

178.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.64 Rp 47.4K

38.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.81 Rp 139.8K

69.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.26 Rp 40.6K

42.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

37.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

71.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

105.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

48.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

-0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.40 Rp 7,119

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

67.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$16.80 Rp 301.1K

11.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.70 Rp 30.4K

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.33 Rp 5,831

312.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$9.90 Rp 177.4K

14.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.44 Rp 7,895

613.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.29 Rp 5,176

258.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

476.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

74.03%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$28.7K Rp 513.8M

-3.49%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$31.7K Rp 567.5M

6.91%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$50.7 Rp 908.4K

143.77%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.18 Rp 74.9K

223.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$19.23 Rp 344.5K

-2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$14.85 Rp 266.0K

316.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$3.90 Rp 69.9K

342.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

237.27%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$49.85 Rp 893.1K

1309.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,285 Rp 76.8M

270.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$21.81 Rp 390.7K

172.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$21.16 Rp 379.2K

65.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$64.1 Rp 1.1M

79.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$58.6 Rp 1.1M

43.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$259 Rp 4.6M

138.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$160 Rp 2.9M

170.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$575 Rp 10.3M

258.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$337 Rp 6.0M

348.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,146 Rp 20.5M

218.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$678 Rp 12.1M

287.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$169 Rp 3.0M

199.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.33

-36.01%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Magelang: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $259 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 200% 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 Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $181 – 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $578 in Magelang – roughly 118% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $867 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 62% 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $9.00 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 $578, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $578 in Magelang to $1,261 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.