😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $631 in Purwokerto.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $960 in Purwokerto.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,289 in Purwokerto.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 94% more expensive than Purwokerto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Purwokerto53% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$1.30Rp 23.1K
246.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$9.15Rp 162.0K
409.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$3.41Rp 60.4K
148.97%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$1.38Rp 24.4K
123.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$0.36Rp 6,358
88.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$0.19Rp 3,331
89.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$1.74Rp 30.9K
39.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$3.64Rp 64.4K
-0.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$1.23Rp 21.8K
78.05%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$1.08Rp 19.1K
67.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$0.81Rp 14.3K
175.31%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$1.52Rp 26.9K
47.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$8.92Rp 158.0K
119.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$3.12Rp 55.4K
19.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$7.93Rp 140.5K
69.86%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$2.31Rp 40.9K
45.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$1.34Rp 23.7K
20.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$1.70Rp 30.1K
41.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$1.60Rp 28.4K
24.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$1.47Rp 26.1K
4.08%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$2.57Rp 45.5K
-43.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$0.98Rp 17.3K
3.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$0.32Rp 5,694
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$2.49Rp 44.1K
71.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$21.60Rp 382.7K
-11.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$2.05Rp 36.4K
-10.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$3.58Rp 63.4K
-23.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
$0.26Rp 4,619
446.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
$9.78Rp 173.3K
19.84%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$0.72Rp 12.7K
316.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$0.76Rp 13.4K
38.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$2.47Rp 43.8K
462.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$0.64Rp 11.3K
101.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$24.7KRp 437.9M
13.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$25.8KRp 457.5M
29.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$43.92Rp 778.0K
177.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$4.54Rp 80.4K
206.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$22.43Rp 397.3K
-15.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
$18.11Rp 320.9K
238.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$6.27Rp 111.0K
168.58%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$2.79Rp 49.5K
218.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$93.7Rp 1.7M
637.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$7,626Rp 135.1M
111.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$42.21Rp 747.7K
36.91%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$31.09Rp 550.7K
13.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$59.8Rp 1.1M
89.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$65.2Rp 1.2M
27.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
$260Rp 4.6M
133.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
$155Rp 2.7M
188.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
$584Rp 10.3M
247.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
$334Rp 5.9M
346.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
$1,427Rp 25.3M
151.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
$280Rp 5.0M
821.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
$122Rp 2.2M
315.12%
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: June 13, 2026
Last update for Purwokerto: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $260 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 315% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Purwokerto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $211 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 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Purwokerto?
Phuket pays 315% more on average, 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: $607 in Phuket versus $260 in Purwokerto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $93.7 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 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 Phuket or Purwokerto?
At $631 in Purwokerto versus $1,223 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 94% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.