Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manado Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manado

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $603 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $929 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,255 in Manado, rent included.

Phuket costs about 104% more than Manado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Manado 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.27 Rp 21.9K

264.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$9.38 Rp 162.6K

399.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

181.53%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.66 Rp 28.8K

80.72%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.32 Rp 5,563

131.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.26 Rp 4,530

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.67 Rp 63.6K

-33.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$5.87 Rp 101.8K

-38.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

85.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.91 Rp 15.7K

102.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.73 Rp 12.7K

206.85%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.82 Rp 31.5K

27.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.91 Rp 137.0K

148.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.74 Rp 134.1K

69.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.82 Rp 48.8K

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.47 Rp 25.5K

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.86 Rp 32.3K

29.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.30 Rp 22.5K

56.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.37 Rp 23.7K

13.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.90 Rp 32.9K

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.47 Rp 8,231

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.32 Rp 40.3K

91.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$28.87 Rp 500.3K

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.75 Rp 30.3K

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

-12.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.32 Rp 5,602

337.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$9.60 Rp 166.4K

19.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.54 Rp 9,323

477.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.37 Rp 6,421

170.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$2.96 Rp 51.3K

376.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.80 Rp 13.9K

68.75%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$24.7K Rp 427.7M

10.16%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.2K Rp 470.7M

21.21%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$24.75 Rp 428.9K

404.97%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.32 Rp 74.9K

214.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$23.13 Rp 400.9K

-19.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$18.53 Rp 321.2K

231.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$6.12 Rp 106.0K

175.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.66 Rp 46.1K

245.49%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

657.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$5,155 Rp 89.3M

202.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

-5.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$24.46 Rp 424.0K

44.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$93.4 Rp 1.6M

21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$328 Rp 5.7M

87.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

351.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$327 Rp 5.7M

525.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$186 Rp 3.2M

701.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,203 Rp 20.9M

214.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$782 Rp 13.6M

238.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$221 Rp 3.8M

136.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manado: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $328 in Manado. 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 137% 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 Manado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $221 – making Manado 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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 104%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $905 in Manado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 20% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $92.1 in Manado. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manado, where all-in costs run around $603, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manado – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Manado. 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.