😐A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $573 in Magelang, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $882 in Magelang, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,192 in Magelang, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 121% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket5% lower, Magelang57% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$1.50Rp 27.1K
198.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$9.49Rp 171.3K
380.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$2.85Rp 51.5K
207.37%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$0.87Rp 15.8K
241.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$0.38Rp 6,872
81.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$0.20Rp 3,637
95.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$1.50Rp 27.1K
68.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$2.98Rp 53.8K
25.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.14Rp 20.7K
88.60%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$1.22Rp 22.0K
49.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$0.83Rp 15.0K
162.65%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$1.45Rp 26.1K
55.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$7.17Rp 129.5K
178.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$2.51Rp 45.2K
44.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$7.75Rp 140.0K
74.97%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$2.19Rp 39.5K
47.95%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.29Rp 23.3K
27.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.39Rp 25.1K
67.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$1.02Rp 18.4K
102.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.07Rp 19.3K
44.86%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$1.44Rp 26.0K
1.39%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$0.85Rp 15.3K
15.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$0.37Rp 6,630
29.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$2.48Rp 44.7K
75.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$16.35Rp 295.2K
13.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$1.70Rp 30.6K
9.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$2.29Rp 41.3K
15.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.30Rp 5,402
373.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$10.04Rp 181.2K
15.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$0.44Rp 7,994
620.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.31Rp 5,661
232.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$2.51Rp 45.3K
453.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$0.77Rp 13.8K
74.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$28.1KRp 507.0M
-1.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$32.1KRp 579.3M
4.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$50.7Rp 914.5K
142.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$4.20Rp 75.8K
227.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$19.83Rp 357.9K
-7.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$15.27Rp 275.6K
297.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$3.93Rp 71.0K
336.64%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$2.73Rp 49.3K
224.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$49.98Rp 902.3K
1276.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$4,352Rp 78.6M
262.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$21.29Rp 384.3K
178.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$21.69Rp 391.6K
59.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$63.7Rp 1.1M
80.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$57.6Rp 1.0M
45.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$262Rp 4.7M
137.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$155Rp 2.8M
187.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$579Rp 10.4M
251.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$330Rp 6.0M
353.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$1,132Rp 20.4M
205.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$682Rp 12.3M
271.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Magelang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$171Rp 3.1M
189.39%
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Magelang: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $262 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 189% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $9.00 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $179 – 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
How do living costs in Phuket and in Magelang compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $573 in Magelang – roughly 121% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Magelang?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $860 in Magelang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Magelang?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $9.00 in Magelang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $573, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Magelang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Magelang?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $573 in Magelang to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Magelang safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Magelang?
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.