Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tarija Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tarija

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $393 in Tarija.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $457 in Tarija.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $520 in Tarija.

Living in Phuket is roughly 213% more expensive than in Tarija, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Tarija 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.03 BOB 20.48

117.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$7.35 BOB 74.2

338.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.49 BOB 35.26

155.87%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.32 BOB 13.37

119.70%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.95 BOB 9.58

-7.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.69 BOB 6.94

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.31 BOB 13.21

79.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.70 BOB 17.21

118.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.44 BOB 4.46

325.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.68 BOB 6.89

116.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.48 BOB 4.84

222.92%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.53 BOB 15.44

37.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$2.94 BOB 29.65

566.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.55 BOB 25.71

34.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$3.74 BOB 37.79

204.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.03 BOB 10.37

63.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.26 BOB 2.63

334.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.72 BOB 7.28

-23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$2.03 BOB 20.55

840.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.09 BOB 11.04

63.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$0.86 BOB 8.67

223.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.14 BOB 1.41

1492.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.42 BOB 4.26

621.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.56 BOB 5.69

82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.87 BOB 29.01

35.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.50 BOB 5.09

198.00%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$11.1K BOB 111.9K

139.95%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$14.8K BOB 149.2K

82.93%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$21.04 BOB 213

387.02%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$17.09 BOB 173

-33.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$19.95 BOB 202

-12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$20.21 BOB 204

157.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$3.69 BOB 37.29

108.40%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$24.68 BOB 249

155.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$29.42 BOB 297

233.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$201 BOB 2,028

267.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$150 BOB 1,518

220.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 Tarija: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $201 in Tarija. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $7.00 in Tarija for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $79.0 per month, with Tarija 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 Tarija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tarija is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 213% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $590 in Tarija 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: $738 in Phuket versus $201 in Tarija. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 246% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tarija – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $393 in Tarija versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tarija but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tarija the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tarija 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 Tarija 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 Tarija gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.