Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pontianak Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pontianak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $485 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $602 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $719 in Pontianak.

Living in Phuket is roughly 154% more expensive than in Pontianak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Pontianak 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.69 Rp 29.9K

160.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$8.41 Rp 148.9K

283.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

192.79%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.20 Rp 21.3K

141.67%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.47 Rp 8,295

87.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.22 Rp 3,882

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.87 Rp 50.9K

-18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.73 Rp 66.1K

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

68.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

2.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.93 Rp 16.4K

66.67%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

39.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.33 Rp 58.9K

2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.07 Rp 54.4K

-2.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.93 Rp 34.2K

-12.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

-4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.50 Rp 8,773

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.85 Rp 50.4K

49.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$22.54 Rp 399.1K

-15.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.78 Rp 31.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.17 Rp 38.4K

28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.29 Rp 5,163

668.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

98.67%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

42.89%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$5.52 Rp 97.8K

105.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$22.67 Rp 401.4K

-23.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$24.36 Rp 431.4K

113.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$12.07 Rp 213.7K

-8.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$3.72 Rp 65.8K

106.72%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$33.65 Rp 595.8K

87.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$34.35 Rp 608.3K

-14.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$172 Rp 3.1M

328.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$112 Rp 2.0M

330.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$270 Rp 4.8M

82.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $172 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 83% 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 $8.00 in Pontianak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $152 per month, with Pontianak 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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pontianak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 83% 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 $172 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pontianak – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $485 in Pontianak versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pontianak but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pontianak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pontianak 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 Pontianak 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 Pontianak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.