Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samarinda Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samarinda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $668 in Samarinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,042 in Samarinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,417 in Samarinda.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Samarinda 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

164.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

123.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

168.17%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

92.05%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.45 Rp 8,041

95.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.23 Rp 4,096

108.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

-2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

73.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

70.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

134.85%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

157.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

-4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

-42.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

97.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

-29.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

54.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.56 Rp 9,912

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

103.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-5.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.31 Rp 5,563

619.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.50 Rp 8,867

506.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.29 Rp 5,160

251.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

31.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

83.95%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

1.39%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

-11.71%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

47.31%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

138.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

-11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

159.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

49.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

177.62%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

467.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

71.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

52.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$198 Rp 3.5M

272.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$135 Rp 2.4M

256.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$483 Rp 8.5M

336.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$358 Rp 6.3M

242.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

216.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$687 Rp 12.2M

278.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$340 Rp 6.0M

45.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.46

-41.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $198 in Samarinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 45% 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 $14.00 in Samarinda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $217 per month, with Samarinda 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samarinda 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 45% 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 $198 in Samarinda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $98.8 in Samarinda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Samarinda – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $668 in Samarinda versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samarinda but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samarinda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samarinda 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 Samarinda 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 Samarinda 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.