😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $628 in Sidoarjo.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $981 in Sidoarjo.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,335 in Sidoarjo.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 101% more expensive than in Sidoarjo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Sidoarjo54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿153
$1.65Rp 29.1K
182.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,059
$11.09Rp 195.4K
190.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿285
$3.25Rp 57.3K
167.08%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.3
$0.59Rp 10.3K
391.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.75
$0.43Rp 7,555
95.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$0.28Rp 4,958
75.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿81.6
$2.22Rp 39.1K
11.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$4.13Rp 72.8K
-9.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.0
$1.23Rp 21.7K
53.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.31
$0.99Rp 17.5K
42.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.3
$0.89Rp 15.7K
82.02%
Eggs
$2.24฿73.7
$1.19Rp 21.0K
88.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿652
$7.80Rp 137.5K
154.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿114
$1.88Rp 33.1K
85.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿374
$5.71Rp 100.6K
99.12%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.3
$0.94Rp 16.6K
208.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.7
$0.59Rp 10.4K
191.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿74.7
$0.77Rp 13.5K
194.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.1
$0.58Rp 10.2K
267.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.49
$0.77Rp 13.5K
90.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.69
$1.01Rp 17.7K
40.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.08
$0.27Rp 4,705
307.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.66
$0.40Rp 7,094
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$1.96Rp 34.6K
119.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿612
$25.37Rp 446.8K
-26.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.2
$1.70Rp 29.9K
5.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿97.5
$2.90Rp 51.0K
2.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿73.8
$0.29Rp 5,115
675.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿772
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$0.41Rp 7,173
656.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.39
$0.38Rp 6,737
184.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿127
$1.12Rp 19.7K
245.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿46.93
$0.82Rp 14.4K
74.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿913.6K
$24.8KRp 436.1M
12.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿887.2K
$32.8KRp 578.0M
-17.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,446
$86.9Rp 1.5M
20.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿375
$4.87Rp 85.7K
133.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿577
$11.19Rp 197.1K
56.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,787
$20.05Rp 353.1K
171.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿376
$8.41Rp 148.1K
36.03%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿256
$2.72Rp 47.8K
186.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$95.6Rp 1.7M
503.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿380.8K
$9,813Rp 172.8M
18.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,092
$70.6Rp 1.2M
-9.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿957
$40.14Rp 707.0K
-27.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,164
$81.4Rp 1.4M
18.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,960
$76.1Rp 1.3M
18.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.1K
$221Rp 3.9M
231.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$157Rp 2.8M
218.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿69.9K
$556Rp 9.8M
281.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.2K
$373Rp 6.6M
235.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.2K
$1,166Rp 20.5M
203.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.2K
$678Rp 11.9M
286.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sidoarjo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
-
-
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: September 6, 2026
Last update for Sidoarjo: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $221 in Sidoarjo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Sidoarjo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $170 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, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $942 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: $733 in Phuket versus $221 in Sidoarjo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $95.6 in Sidoarjo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Sidoarjo?
Dining out is cheaper in Sidoarjo – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Sidoarjo?
At $628 in Sidoarjo versus $1,265 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 101% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.