Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samsun Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samsun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,016 in Samsun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,502 in Samsun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,987 in Samsun.

Living in Phuket is roughly 24% more expensive than Samsun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Samsun 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿149
$7.73 ₺357
-41.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 ฿1,519
$25.36 ₺1,173
83.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 ฿276
$8.67 ₺401
-2.31%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ฿98.6
$2.84 ₺131
6.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.45
$1.31 ₺60.5
-47.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.92
$0.26 ₺12.06
42.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 ฿81.0
$2.78 ₺129
-10.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿119
$2.89 ₺134
26.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ฿71.0
$1.09 ₺50.6
100.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ฿62.0
$0.39 ₺18.13
387.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ฿71.6
$3.85 ₺178
-42.86%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿72.4
$1.65 ₺76.4
34.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 ฿651
$8.73 ₺404
128.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ฿119
$10.30 ₺476
-64.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 ฿432
$19.12 ₺884
-30.70%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿105
$1.29 ₺59.9
150.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.3
$1.17 ₺54.3
45.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿78.0
$0.91 ₺42.05
162.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿67.7
$1.24 ₺57.5
67.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿51.8
$0.65 ₺29.91
144.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.31
$0.60 ₺27.75
146.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.54
$0.80 ₺36.79
28.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿16.83
$0.73 ₺33.63
-28.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 ฿138
$2.05 ₺94.9
107.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿612
$9.90 ₺458
89.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ฿57.2
$1.98 ₺91.6
-11.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ฿89.8
$2.60 ₺120
6.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 ฿44.32
$0.58 ₺26.88
134.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 ฿370
$9.73 ₺450
16.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 ฿102
$2.33 ₺108
34.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.74
$0.66 ₺30.46
57.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 ฿448
$4.66 ₺216
195.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿43.79
$1.16 ₺53.9
15.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿901.4K
$43.1K ₺2.0M
-35.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$50.1K ₺2.3M
-32.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ฿4,025
$50.1 ₺2,316
146.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ฿440
$10.94 ₺506
23.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 ฿609
$11.28 ₺522
65.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 ฿2,013
$83.9 ₺3,879
-26.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 ฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 ฿298
$5.67 ₺262
61.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ฿22.9K
$516 ₺23.9K
36.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿517.0K
$3,849 ₺178.0K
312.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,937
$37.40 ₺1,730
58.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 ฿1,142
$44.22 ₺2,046
-20.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,754
$89.3 ₺4,133
29.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 ฿2,737
$44.71 ₺2,068
87.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿20.1K
$491 ₺22.7K
26.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 ฿14.1K
$335 ₺15.5K
29.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 ฿67.2K
$715 ₺33.1K
188.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 ฿49.2K
$514 ₺23.8K
194.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 ฿118.7K
$771 ₺35.7K
372.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 ฿85.5K
$428 ₺19.8K
512.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Samsun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 ฿16.5K
$984 ₺45.5K
-48.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
43.33
-87.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Samsun: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $491 in Samsun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samsun pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Samsun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $245 per month, with Samsun 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 Samsun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samsun cheaper than Phuket?
Samsun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Samsun?
On paper, Samsun earns 94% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Samsun?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $491 in Samsun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $516 in Samsun. 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 Samsun?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 Samsun?
At $1,016 in Samsun versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samsun but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samsun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Samsun more family-friendly?
For families, Samsun 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 Samsun?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Samsun 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 Samsun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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