Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sidoarjo

For one person, living is cheaper in Sidoarjo: $622 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Sidoarjo, Indonesia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Sidoarjo
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$622
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Sidoarjo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Sidoarjo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $622 in Sidoarjo.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Sidoarjo $622

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $971 in Sidoarjo.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Sidoarjo $971

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,321 in Sidoarjo.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Sidoarjo $1,321

Living in Phuket is roughly 106% more expensive than in Sidoarjo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sidoarjo 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$1.64 Rp 29.7K
172.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$11.20 Rp 203.2K
189.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$3.03 Rp 55.0K
190.76%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$0.57 Rp 10.3K
396.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.42 Rp 7,672
107.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.26 Rp 4,701
88.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$2.22 Rp 40.4K
15.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$4.17 Rp 75.6K
-11.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.21 Rp 21.9K
37.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$0.97 Rp 17.7K
50.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
68.54%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.21 Rp 22.0K
72.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$7.65 Rp 138.9K
149.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$1.90 Rp 34.5K
73.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$5.63 Rp 102.1K
93.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
229.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
201.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$0.70 Rp 12.6K
221.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$0.53 Rp 9,644
292.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.74 Rp 13.4K
104.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
35.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.27 Rp 4,848
296.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.39 Rp 7,157
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$1.95 Rp 35.4K
115.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$24.62 Rp 446.8K
-23.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.64 Rp 29.7K
10.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.86 Rp 51.8K
-0.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.26 Rp 4,712
457.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$9.85 Rp 178.8K
475.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.39 Rp 7,103
674.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.41 Rp 7,419
148.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$1.07 Rp 19.4K
244.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
83.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$24.4K Rp 443.5M
9.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$32.6K Rp 591.2M
-18.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$85.9 Rp 1.6M
12.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$4.57 Rp 82.9K
146.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$11.21 Rp 203.5K
50.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$18.71 Rp 339.5K
259.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$8.36 Rp 151.7K
28.35%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$2.63 Rp 47.8K
185.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$93.4 Rp 1.7M
409.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$9,471 Rp 171.9M
18.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$69.3 Rp 1.3M
-10.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$38.31 Rp 695.0K
-25.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$79.6 Rp 1.4M
18.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$73.1 Rp 1.3M
17.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$229 Rp 4.1M
213.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$148 Rp 2.7M
231.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$553 Rp 10.0M
248.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$373 Rp 6.8M
284.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$1,141 Rp 20.7M
265.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$802 Rp 14.6M
279.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
7.5
-25.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Sidoarjo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Sidoarjo
$148 69.8% $343
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Sidoarjo
$166 37.6% $100
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Sidoarjo
$102 18.3% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Sidoarjo
$117 3.9% $4.8
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Sidoarjo
$51 58% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Sidoarjo
$24 70.8% $58
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Sidoarjo
$13 81.1% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $229 in Sidoarjo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $11 in Sidoarjo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $166 per month, with Sidoarjo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇩 Sidoarjo
🕒 Local time
19:58 7:58 PM
19:58 7:58 PM
Same time as Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
201,115
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.71 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 18,145 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,281 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Sidoarjo 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Sidoarjo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sidoarjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sidoarjo cheaper than Phuket?
Sidoarjo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $932 in Sidoarjo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Sidoarjo?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $229 in Sidoarjo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $93 in Sidoarjo. 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 Sidoarjo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Sidoarjo?
At $622 in Sidoarjo versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sidoarjo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sidoarjo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Sidoarjo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sidoarjo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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