Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and South Tangerang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and South Tangerang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $684 in South Tangerang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,040 in South Tangerang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,396 in South Tangerang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 80% more expensive than in South Tangerang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, South Tangerang 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.66 Rp 29.4K

165.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$14.36 Rp 254.2K

124.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

168.17%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

83.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.46 Rp 8,163

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.23 Rp 4,056

108.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.71 Rp 48.0K

-13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.10 Rp 54.8K

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

49.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

47.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

80.23%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$7.35 Rp 130.2K

166.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.14 Rp 55.6K

8.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.79 Rp 137.9K

46.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

35.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.05 Rp 36.3K

7.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

70.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.36 Rp 24.0K

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

-38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

39.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.48 Rp 8,530

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

54.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$21.20 Rp 375.4K

-9.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.99 Rp 35.2K

-10.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

-11.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.22 Rp 3,880

913.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$17.26 Rp 305.6K

31.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.49 Rp 8,710

518.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.32 Rp 5,732

218.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

69.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

91.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$22.7K Rp 402.1M

17.04%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$33.5K Rp 594.0M

-19.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 ฿3,420

$53.6 Rp 948.9K

91.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.33 ฿378

$6.11 Rp 108.3K

85.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$19.62 Rp 347.5K

-11.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$26.60 Rp 471.0K

95.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$9.67 Rp 171.3K

14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$2.90 Rp 51.3K

165.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 ฿18.7K

$120 Rp 2.1M

366.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$8,452 Rp 149.7M

36.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$40.27 Rp 713.0K

56.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$29.41 Rp 520.8K

0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

31.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

21.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$214 Rp 3.8M

245.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$170 Rp 3.0M

183.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$379 Rp 6.7M

456.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$309 Rp 5.5M

296.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,199 Rp 21.2M

201.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$969 Rp 17.2M

168.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$446 Rp 7.9M

10.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.46

-41.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for South Tangerang: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $214 in South Tangerang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in South Tangerang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $207 per month, with South Tangerang 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 South Tangerang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Tangerang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $214 in South Tangerang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $120 in South Tangerang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $684 in South Tangerang versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in South Tangerang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes South Tangerang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, South Tangerang 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and South Tangerang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find South Tangerang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.