😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $649 in Sidoarjo.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $990 in Sidoarjo.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,331 in Sidoarjo.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 95% more expensive than Sidoarjo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Sidoarjo52% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$1.51Rp 26.0K
208.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,496
$12.44Rp 213.8K
273.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿280
$3.12Rp 53.7K
178.21%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿95.0
$0.63Rp 10.8K
368.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.52
$0.51Rp 8,692
37.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.70
$0.26Rp 4,410
50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.6
$2.44Rp 41.9K
3.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿122
$4.07Rp 70.0K
-7.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.5
$1.37Rp 23.6K
62.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.8
$1.08Rp 18.5K
66.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.4
$0.99Rp 17.0K
121.21%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.5
$1.43Rp 24.5K
61.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿623
$9.28Rp 159.4K
108.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$2.53Rp 43.5K
49.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿426
$6.18Rp 106.2K
113.92%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$0.96Rp 16.4K
246.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿53.1
$0.60Rp 10.3K
175.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.7
$0.82Rp 14.0K
179.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.1
$0.63Rp 10.9K
215.87%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.24
$0.79Rp 13.6K
93.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.77
$1.08Rp 18.5K
39.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.12
$0.30Rp 5,099
243.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.57
$0.42Rp 7,245
21.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿142
$2.09Rp 35.9K
111.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿625
$26.16Rp 449.6K
-25.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.0
$1.83Rp 31.5K
-1.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.4
$3.30Rp 56.8K
-18.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿46.11
$0.32Rp 5,517
346.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿377
$9.74Rp 167.4K
20.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.9
$0.44Rp 7,583
590.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.37
$0.31Rp 5,390
235.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿441
$1.26Rp 21.6K
985.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.85
$0.84Rp 14.4K
54.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿898.9K
$20.6KRp 354.1M
35.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$34.7KRp 596.9M
-4.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,962
$82.7Rp 1.4M
48.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿445
$4.09Rp 70.3K
237.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿608
$12.33Rp 211.9K
52.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,970
$23.18Rp 398.4K
163.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿541
$6.02Rp 103.5K
179.24%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿286
$2.98Rp 51.2K
197.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.4K
$191Rp 3.3M
263.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿517.4K
$9,506Rp 163.4M
68.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,910
$62.8Rp 1.1M
-5.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,123
$38.51Rp 661.9K
-9.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,646
$78.7Rp 1.4M
43.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,740
$84.1Rp 1.4M
1.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$256Rp 4.4M
140.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$160Rp 2.8M
179.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿67.2K
$576Rp 9.9M
262.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.2K
$335Rp 5.8M
346.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿120.3K
$1,246Rp 21.4M
199.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.8K
$787Rp 13.5M
238.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.2K
-
-
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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Sidoarjo: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $256 in Sidoarjo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $12 in Sidoarjo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $187 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 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $974 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: $615 in Phuket versus $256 in Sidoarjo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $191 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 Sidoarjo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 56% 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 Sidoarjo?
At $649 in Sidoarjo versus $1,270 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 95% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.