Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $41 in Tanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $59 in Tanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $77 in Tanga.

Living in Phuket is roughly 3035% more expensive than Tanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Tanga 97% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$1.53 TZS 3,990

204.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$3.58 TZS 9,344

142.46%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$0.59 TZS 1,552

400.00%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.32 TZS 846

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.37 TZS 969

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$1.00 TZS 2,616

153.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$1.14 TZS 2,980

231.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿3,962

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

$13.82 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

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

$696 ฿22.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tanga: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $0 in Tanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $0 in Tanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $0 per month, with Tanga 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 Tanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tanga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3035% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $60.8 in Tanga 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.

At $40.50 in Tanga versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tanga but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tanga 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 Tanga 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 Tanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3035% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.