Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Makassar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Makassar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $644 in Makassar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $980 in Makassar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,317 in Makassar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 91% more expensive than in Makassar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Makassar 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

167.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$9.03 Rp 159.8K

257.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.21 Rp 56.9K

178.19%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.99 Rp 35.3K

45.73%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.50 Rp 8,874

76.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.34 Rp 6,003

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.59 Rp 45.8K

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.27 Rp 58.0K

13.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.62 Rp 28.6K

15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.00 Rp 17.7K

47.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.61 Rp 10.8K

154.10%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.60 Rp 116.8K

196.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.51 Rp 62.1K

-2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$5.28 Rp 93.6K

115.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

24.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.39 Rp 24.7K

20.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.79 Rp 31.6K

20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.60 Rp 28.3K

-16.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

41.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.40 Rp 7,020

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.69 Rp 47.6K

58.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$22.97 Rp 406.7K

-16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

-3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

20.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.27 Rp 4,734

725.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$4.35 Rp 77.0K

422.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.51 Rp 9,032

494.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.36 Rp 6,314

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

34.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

88.61%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$15.7K Rp 277.8M

69.46%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$16.9K Rp 299.4M

59.84%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$90.0 Rp 1.6M

13.86%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$2.61 Rp 46.2K

334.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$25.25 Rp 447.2K

-31.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$21.32 Rp 377.5K

144.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$23.06 Rp 408.3K

-51.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$3.50 Rp 62.0K

119.71%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

490.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,893 Rp 68.9M

195.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$27.74 Rp 491.2K

127.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$24.02 Rp 425.4K

22.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$40.90 Rp 724.2K

116.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$195 Rp 3.4M

279.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$152 Rp 2.7M

217.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$403 Rp 7.1M

422.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$313 Rp 5.5M

291.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,438 Rp 25.5M

151.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$572 Rp 10.1M

355.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$218 Rp 3.9M

126.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Makassar: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $195 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 126% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Makassar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $199 per month, with Makassar 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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 91% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 126% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $195 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 423% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $94.9 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $644 in Makassar versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $644 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Makassar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.