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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $747 in Tarija.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $985 in Tarija.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,224 in Tarija.

Living in Phuket is roughly 67% more expensive than in Tarija, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tarija 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.59 BOB 38.60

26.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$14.28 BOB 153

223.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.31 BOB 67.8

40.10%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.48 BOB 26.63

23.39%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.48 BOB 15.93

-50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.00 BOB 10.74

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.56 BOB 16.72

55.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.24 BOB 24.13

68.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.77 BOB 8.30

193.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.43 BOB 15.36

26.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.18 BOB 12.64

90.68%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.58 BOB 27.76

-12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.83 BOB 51.9

303.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.20 BOB 55.9

-29.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.34 BOB 68.2

105.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.49 BOB 16.05

116.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.28 BOB 13.72

26.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.11 BOB 11.97

114.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.23 BOB 23.93

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.49 BOB 16.03

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.43 BOB 15.41

4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.35 BOB 3.80

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.33 BOB 14.34

-60.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.84 BOB 30.52

56.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$3.70 BOB 39.81

395.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.90 BOB 20.40

-2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.89 BOB 20.29

41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.28 BOB 2.97

403.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$31.22 BOB 336

-62.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.07 BOB 11.47

190.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.19 BOB 12.78

-12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.85 BOB 52.1

190.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.51 BOB 5.49

156.86%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.6K BOB 211.0K

41.70%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.6K BOB 231.7K

54.10%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$51.2 BOB 550

139.23%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$27.84 BOB 299

-51.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$42.31 BOB 455

-55.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$35.41 BOB 381

70.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$4.43 BOB 47.65

283.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.38 BOB 79.3

22.90%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$60.8 BOB 654

1061.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,327 BOB 14.3K

1091.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$25.34 BOB 272

131.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$29.21 BOB 314

21.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$39.55 BOB 425

191.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$21.81 BOB 234

283.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$320 BOB 3,441

95.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$226 BOB 2,428

97.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$514 BOB 5,528

296.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$116 BOB 1,242

1191.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.5

-3.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tarija: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $320 in Tarija. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Tarija for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $173 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. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,121 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: $626 in Phuket versus $320 in Tarija. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $60.8 in Tarija. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $747 in Tarija versus $1,250 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 67% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.