Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pekanbaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pekanbaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $681 in Pekanbaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $970 in Pekanbaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,258 in Pekanbaru.

Living in Phuket is roughly 84% more expensive than in Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Pekanbaru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

191.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$8.68 Rp 155.9K

432.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$2.49 Rp 44.8K

255.02%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

115.49%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.47 Rp 8,384

55.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.26 Rp 4,674

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.14 Rp 38.5K

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

10.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

68.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

50.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

120.59%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

26.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$16.88 Rp 303.4K

15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

39.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.40 Rp 186.9K

25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.96 Rp 53.1K

9.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.01 Rp 36.2K

18.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

128.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

53.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

-37.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.41 Rp 7,398

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

93.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$19.82 Rp 356.2K

-7.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.87 Rp 69.6K

-30.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.30 Rp 5,311

370.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$9.33 Rp 167.7K

25.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

249.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.40 Rp 7,219

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

547.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

70.13%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$23.2K Rp 416.3M

20.08%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.5K Rp 457.5M

30.49%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

74.22%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$6.58 Rp 118.2K

106.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$27.97 Rp 502.6K

-33.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$23.15 Rp 416.1K

161.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$12.41 Rp 223.0K

36.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

182.55%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$174 Rp 3.1M

305.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,096 Rp 55.6M

410.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$34.18 Rp 614.2K

71.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$36.35 Rp 653.2K

-2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

75.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$257 Rp 4.6M

143.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$122 Rp 2.2M

265.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$930 Rp 16.7M

119.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$151 Rp 2.7M

889.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,135 Rp 20.4M

206.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$699 Rp 12.6M

268.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$181 Rp 3.3M

176.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $257 in Pekanbaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 176% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Pekanbaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $247 per month, with Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 176% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $257 in Pekanbaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $681 in Pekanbaru – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Pekanbaru versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pekanbaru but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pekanbaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pekanbaru is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.