😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $657 in Sidoarjo.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $997 in Sidoarjo.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,337 in Sidoarjo.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 92% more expensive than in Sidoarjo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Sidoarjo51% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.53฿153
$1.57Rp 28.2K
188.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.36฿1,562
$12.45Rp 223.3K
272.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.65฿291
$2.99Rp 53.6K
189.30%
Cappuccino
$3.09฿104
$0.58Rp 10.4K
432.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.85
$0.47Rp 8,356
44.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.41
$0.26Rp 4,618
42.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.42฿81.4
$2.39Rp 43.0K
1.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.81฿128
$3.89Rp 69.8K
-2.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿73.4
$1.42Rp 25.5K
53.52%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿61.2
$1.08Rp 19.3K
68.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.3
$0.93Rp 16.7K
134.41%
Eggs
$2.24฿75.3
$1.43Rp 25.6K
56.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.93฿671
$9.24Rp 165.8K
115.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.64฿123
$2.64Rp 47.3K
37.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿457
$6.32Rp 113.4K
114.56%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29฿111
$0.94Rp 16.8K
250.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69฿56.8
$0.64Rp 11.4K
164.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.6
$0.77Rp 13.7K
202.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.3
$0.64Rp 11.4K
217.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60฿53.9
$0.79Rp 14.1K
102.53%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49฿50.4
$1.12Rp 20.1K
33.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿34.11
$0.30Rp 5,346
236.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$0.43Rp 7,657
11.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿150
$2.18Rp 39.1K
104.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.63฿628
$24.74Rp 443.6K
-24.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79฿60.2
$1.77Rp 31.8K
1.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80฿94.2
$3.20Rp 57.5K
-12.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.81
$0.32Rp 5,800
343.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.33฿382
$9.94Rp 178.4K
13.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09฿104
$0.48Rp 8,659
543.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.13
$0.31Rp 5,635
235.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.63฿459
$1.24Rp 22.3K
999.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.15
$0.77Rp 13.9K
70.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K฿919.1K
$20.7KRp 371.0M
31.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$34.8KRp 624.6M
-4.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,149
$81.8Rp 1.5M
50.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.81฿465
$4.22Rp 75.7K
227.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿624
$12.18Rp 218.4K
52.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.4฿2,034
$23.39Rp 419.5K
158.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80฿566
$6.24Rp 111.9K
169.23%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿299
$2.88Rp 51.6K
208.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$687฿23.1K
$188Rp 3.4M
264.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿523.9K
$9,435Rp 169.2M
64.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6฿1,942
$61.0Rp 1.1M
-5.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.66฿1,168
$38.68Rp 693.7K
-10.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,872
$79.1Rp 1.4M
45.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9฿2,860
$82.4Rp 1.5M
3.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618฿20.8K
$261Rp 4.7M
136.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$443฿14.9K
$155Rp 2.8M
185.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,047฿69.0K
$582Rp 10.4M
251.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,506฿50.7K
$339Rp 6.1M
343.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,568฿120.2K
$1,180Rp 21.2M
202.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,511฿84.6K
$703Rp 12.6M
257.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8.33
-36.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Last update for Sidoarjo: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $261 in Sidoarjo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Sidoarjo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $185 per month, with Sidoarjo 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 Sidoarjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sidoarjo cheaper than Phuket?
Sidoarjo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $985 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: $618 in Phuket versus $261 in Sidoarjo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $188 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 58% 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 Sidoarjo?
At $657 in Sidoarjo versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 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 Phuket or Sidoarjo more family-friendly?
For families, Sidoarjo 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 Sidoarjo?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sidoarjo 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 Sidoarjo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.