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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,251 in Tamuning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,778 in Tamuning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,305 in Tamuning.

Monthly costs are close between Phuket and Tamuning; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Tamuning 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿152

$14.78 $14.78

-69.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,086

$54.8 $54.8

-40.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿296

$14.92 $14.92

-40.35%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿93.4

$5.53 $5.53

-49.37%

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

$0.88 ฿29.31

$3.07 $3.07

-71.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.29

$1.24 $1.24

-60.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.5

$6.65 $6.65

-64.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$15.17 $15.17

-75.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.5

$3.44 $3.44

-47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.00

$6.60 $6.60

-78.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.8

$2.45 $2.45

-35.51%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿70.8

$7.14 $7.14

-70.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿663

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿377

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.2

$8.18 $8.18

-63.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.3

$3.01 $3.01

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿77.4

$4.77 $4.77

-51.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.3

$7.73 $7.73

-73.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.96

$4.08 $4.08

-63.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.22

$2.88 $2.88

-52.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿19.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿142

$9.74 $9.74

-56.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿613

$12.22 $12.22

50.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿97.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$19.66 $19.66

-84.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿131

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$1.32 $1.32

12.88%

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

$27.1K ฿903.4K

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

$27.5K ฿914.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

2.74%

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

$103 ฿3,423

$454 $454

-77.35%

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

$10.99 ฿366

$75.1 $75.1

-85.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿583

$92.1 $92.1

-80.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,783

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿249

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

$557 ฿18.5K

$396 $396

40.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿394.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,134

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿968

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,195

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿3,008

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.3K

$1,284 $1,284

-43.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.8K

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tamuning: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $1,284 in Tamuning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $55.0 in Tamuning for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $298 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

You'd need roughly $1,880 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $1,284 in Tamuning. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tamuning – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $396 in Tamuning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,251 in Tamuning versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tamuning but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tamuning the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tamuning 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 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.

It comes down to priorities – Tamuning wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.