Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tartus Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tartus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $483 in Tartus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $760 in Tartus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,037 in Tartus.

Living in Phuket is roughly 159% more expensive than in Tartus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tartus 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.18 SYP 751

-26.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$27.98 SYP 3,400

65.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.51 SYP 670

60.44%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$0.78 SYP 94.8

292.31%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.12 SYP 137

-34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.69 SYP 83.5

-42.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.64 SYP 200

48.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.46 SYP 299

53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.00 SYP 122

126.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.63 SYP 76.2

187.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.53 SYP 186

47.06%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.40 SYP 170

60.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.10 SYP 377

529.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.52 SYP 914

-51.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.10 SYP 985

61.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.93 SYP 113

247.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.22 SYP 149

32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$0.98 SYP 120

142.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.96 SYP 117

111.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.62 SYP 75.6

146.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.67 SYP 81.4

123.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.38 SYP 45.97

157.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.61 SYP 74.2

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.07 SYP 373

44.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.07 SYP 981

127.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.01 SYP 123

84.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.77 SYP 215

51.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.63 SYP 76.1

393.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.28 SYP 155

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$6.35 SYP 772

122.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.17 SYP 142

11.97%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

49.81%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.0K SYP 2.6M

57.82%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$101 SYP 12.2K

21.76%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.37 SYP 1,017

62.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$35.08 SYP 4,262

-46.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$12.14 SYP 1,475

398.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.09 SYP 375

193.53%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$43.00 SYP 5,225

1542.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$1,813 SYP 220.3K

771.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$19.63 SYP 2,386

198.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$25.73 SYP 3,127

37.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$45.53 SYP 5,532

153.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$39.56 SYP 4,807

111.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$101 SYP 12.2K

521.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$50.2 SYP 6,094

896.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.75

-61.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tartus: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $101 in Tartus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 897% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Tartus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $157 per month, with Tartus 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 Tartus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tartus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 897% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $101 in Tartus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $43.00 in Tartus. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tartus – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $483 in Tartus versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tartus but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tartus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tartus 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 Tartus 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 Tartus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.