Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tagum City Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tagum City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $441 in Tagum City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $543 in Tagum City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $645 in Tagum City.

Living in Phuket is roughly 180% more expensive than in Tagum City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Tagum City 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.42 ₱340

-18.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$12.66 ₱794

154.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.93 ₱309

81.14%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$2.25 ₱141

28.89%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$1.88 ₱118

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.47 ₱91.9

153.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.63 ₱102

14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$1.93 ₱121

8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$8.05 ₱505

41.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$6.48 ₱406

-54.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.32 ₱82.5

34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.25 ₱15.74

792.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.20 ₱75.5

24.17%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

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

$102 ฿3,407

$56.3 ₱3,528

82.01%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$7.80 ₱489

45.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$27.50 ₱1,723

-36.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$24.27 ₱1,521

114.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$3.18 ₱200

141.82%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$156 ₱9,781

372.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$128 ₱7,998

277.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$320 ₱20.0K

559.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$205 ₱12.9K

140.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $156 in Tagum City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 140% 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 $13.00 in Tagum City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $87.0 per month, with Tagum City 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagum City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 180% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 140% 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 $156 in Tagum City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 214% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tagum City – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $441 in Tagum City versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagum City but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tagum City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tagum City 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 Tagum City 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 Tagum City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.