Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tamuning

For one person, living costs are similar in Phuket and in Tamuning: $1,207 and $1,251 a month, rent and utilities included.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Tamuning
🇬🇺 Guam
$1,251
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Tamuning

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Tamuning actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,251 in Tamuning.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Tamuning $1,251

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $1,799 in Tamuning.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Tamuning $1,799

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $2,347 in Tamuning.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Tamuning $2,347

Living in Phuket costs roughly 3% less than in Tamuning, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Tamuning 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$14.94 $14.94
-69.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$55.8 $55.8
-41.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$14.92 $14.92
-42.69%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$5.56 $5.56
-51.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$2.96 $2.96
-68.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$1.24 $1.24
-60.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$6.32 $6.32
-59.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$15.23 $15.23
-74.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$3.45 $3.45
-49.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$6.77 $6.77
-78.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$2.39 $2.39
-35.98%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$7.01 $7.01
-69.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$8.18 $8.18
-63.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$3.02 $3.02
-44.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$4.84 $4.84
-52.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$7.78 $7.78
-72.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$4.09 $4.09
-62.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$2.86 $2.86
-52.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$9.65 $9.65
-55.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$12.09 $12.09
50.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$19.72 $19.72
-85.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.31 $1.31
13.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$26.3K $26.3K
1.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$453 $453
-78.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$76.2 $76.2
-85.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$92.3 $92.3
-81.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$405 $405
37.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$1,281 $1,281
-43.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tamuning
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Tamuning: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Tamuning
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Tamuning
$299 * 11.8% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Tamuning
$622 386% $494
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Tamuning
- * 100%
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Tamuning
$310 155% $189
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Tamuning
- * 100%
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Tamuning
$20 * 49.3% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $1,281 in Tamuning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $56.0 in Tamuning for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $299 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇺 Tamuning
🕒 Local time
22:53 10:53 PM
01:53 1:53 AM
3 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
19,685
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Tamuning 5,100 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Tamuning

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tamuning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tamuning cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,811 in Phuket and $1,876 in Tamuning 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 Tamuning?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $1,281 in Tamuning. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $405 in Tamuning. 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 Tamuning?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $56.0 in Tamuning. 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 Tamuning?
At $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,251 in Tamuning, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tamuning. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tamuning more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tamuning, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Tamuning?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tamuning 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Tamuning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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