😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $517 in Purwokerto.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $847 in Purwokerto.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,176 in Purwokerto.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 138% more expensive than in Purwokerto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Purwokerto62% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$1.30Rp 23.1K
239.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,073
$8.34Rp 148.0K
286.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$3.21Rp 56.9K
178.19%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.3
$1.40Rp 24.8K
107.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.27
$0.42Rp 7,372
109.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.00
$0.17Rp 3,082
182.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.2
$2.24Rp 39.8K
4.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$3.10Rp 55.0K
20.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.0
$1.15Rp 20.4K
62.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.75
$0.89Rp 15.7K
65.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$0.83Rp 14.8K
86.75%
Eggs
$2.10฿69.9
$1.48Rp 26.3K
41.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿651
$7.26Rp 128.8K
169.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$2.88Rp 51.1K
18.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿378
$7.60Rp 134.9K
49.74%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.2
$2.23Rp 39.5K
33.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.0
$1.12Rp 19.9K
50.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$1.51Rp 26.8K
46.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿71.9
$0.91Rp 16.2K
137.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.7
$1.11Rp 19.7K
36.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.49
$1.94Rp 34.4K
-30.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.53
$0.67Rp 11.9K
68.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.17
$0.36Rp 6,314
52.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$2.39Rp 42.5K
78.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$22.29Rp 395.6K
-14.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$1.87Rp 33.2K
-4.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.5
$3.12Rp 55.4K
-10.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.1
$0.22Rp 3,911
913.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿756
$11.88Rp 210.8K
91.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$0.49Rp 8,609
518.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.02
$0.33Rp 5,806
209.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿129
$2.35Rp 41.7K
65.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.57
$0.72Rp 12.8K
106.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿883.8K
$21.5KRp 381.0M
23.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿898.7K
$29.0KRp 514.0M
-6.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,407
$34.43Rp 611.0K
197.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$2.78Rp 49.3K
307.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿578
$19.10Rp 338.9K
-8.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,732
$19.74Rp 350.4K
163.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿368
$11.29Rp 200.4K
-1.95%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$2.51Rp 44.5K
206.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.6K
$94.4Rp 1.7M
493.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿382.6K
$7,263Rp 128.9M
58.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,096
$39.61Rp 702.9K
59.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿982
$31.60Rp 560.9K
-6.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,259
$73.0Rp 1.3M
34.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,943
$73.2Rp 1.3M
20.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.5K
$140Rp 2.5M
427.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.0K
$72.3Rp 1.3M
567.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.0K
$587Rp 10.4M
258.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$259Rp 4.6M
373.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.3K
$1,409Rp 25.0M
156.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.5K
$288Rp 5.1M
803.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Purwokerto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
$120Rp 2.1M
311.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
8.45
-34.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Purwokerto: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $140 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 312% 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 Purwokerto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $191 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, Getting Around. The 138% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Purwokerto?
Average pay runs 312% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $140 in Purwokerto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $94.4 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 43% 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 $517 in Purwokerto versus $1,232 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 138% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.