😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $610 in Purwokerto.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $944 in Purwokerto.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,278 in Purwokerto.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 107% more expensive than in Purwokerto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Purwokerto54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$1.30Rp 23.5K
244.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$8.99Rp 162.4K
407.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$3.36Rp 60.7K
160.71%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$1.38Rp 25.0K
115.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$0.35Rp 6,357
97.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$0.17Rp 3,108
129.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$1.75Rp 31.5K
44.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$3.63Rp 65.5K
3.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.17Rp 21.1K
83.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$1.11Rp 20.1K
63.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$0.80Rp 14.4K
172.50%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$1.52Rp 27.4K
48.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$9.15Rp 165.3K
118.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$3.01Rp 54.4K
20.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$8.05Rp 145.4K
68.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$2.38Rp 43.0K
36.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.33Rp 24.0K
23.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.64Rp 29.5K
42.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$1.55Rp 28.0K
33.55%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.48Rp 26.7K
4.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$2.70Rp 48.7K
-45.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$0.91Rp 16.4K
7.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$0.32Rp 5,858
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$2.52Rp 45.5K
72.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$21.90Rp 395.3K
-15.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$2.10Rp 37.9K
-11.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$3.46Rp 62.4K
-23.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.26Rp 4,719
446.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$9.88Rp 178.3K
17.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$0.75Rp 13.5K
322.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.76Rp 13.8K
35.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$2.58Rp 46.5K
438.37%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$0.63Rp 11.4K
112.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$24.2KRp 437.8M
14.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$25.5KRp 459.9M
31.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$44.42Rp 801.9K
177.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$4.45Rp 80.4K
209.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$22.78Rp 411.2K
-19.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$18.32Rp 330.7K
231.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$6.24Rp 112.6K
175.00%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$2.71Rp 48.9K
227.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$93.4Rp 1.7M
636.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$7,651Rp 138.1M
106.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$41.64Rp 751.8K
42.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$30.25Rp 546.1K
14.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$58.2Rp 1.1M
97.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$65.3Rp 1.2M
28.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$258Rp 4.7M
140.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$160Rp 2.9M
179.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$577Rp 10.4M
252.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$335Rp 6.1M
346.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$1,367Rp 24.7M
152.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$279Rp 5.0M
808.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$118Rp 2.1M
317.01%
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 27, 2026
Last update for Purwokerto: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $258 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 317% 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 Purwokerto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $212 per month, with Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Purwokerto cheaper than Phuket?
Purwokerto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Purwokerto?
Average pay runs 317% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Purwokerto?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $258 in Purwokerto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $93.4 in Purwokerto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Purwokerto?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Purwokerto?
At $610 in Purwokerto versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Purwokerto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Purwokerto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Purwokerto more family-friendly?
For families, Purwokerto 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Purwokerto?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Purwokerto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Purwokerto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.