Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tamuning Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tamuning

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,859 in Tamuning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,885 in Tamuning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,912 in Tamuning.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 56% less than in Tamuning, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Tamuning is 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$14.71 $14.71

-68.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$66.9 $66.9

-32.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$14.76 $14.76

-42.89%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$6.26 $6.26

-53.19%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.95 $2.95

-76.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.67 $1.67

-77.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$7.57 $7.57

-68.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$13.40 $13.40

-72.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$3.56 $3.56

-37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$6.75 $6.75

-72.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.42 $2.42

-10.33%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$7.57 $7.57

-70.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.23 $8.23

-55.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$8.19 $8.19

-59.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$3.02 $3.02

-46.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$4.78 $4.78

-49.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$8.04 $8.04

-74.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$4.29 $4.29

-64.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$3.56 $3.56

-58.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.92 $2.92

-66.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$9.45 $9.45

-53.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$12.20 $12.20

58.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$22.64 $22.64

-86.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.41 $1.41

-3.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.9K $25.9K

27.27%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$505 $505

-75.92%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$74.3 $74.3

-81.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$130 $130

-85.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$34.76 $34.76

73.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$15.11 $15.11

-42.49%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$401 $401

72.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.11 $49.11

21.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$39.69 $39.69

-12.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$70.0 $70.0

63.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,819 $1,819

-66.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,286 $1,286

-66.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$2,375 $2,375

-11.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,980 $1,980

-23.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.22

26.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tamuning: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,819 in Tamuning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $67.0 in Tamuning for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $359 per month, with Phuket 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 Tamuning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $4,288 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,819 in Tamuning. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $401 in Tamuning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $67.0 in Tamuning. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,859 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Tamuning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.