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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $481 in Tartus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $740 in Tartus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $999 in Tartus.

Living in Phuket is roughly 163% more expensive than Tartus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.05 SYP 669

-22.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.02 SYP 2,986

67.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.38 SYP 594

56.69%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$0.76 SYP 84.4

285.53%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.14 SYP 126

-39.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.72 SYP 79.2

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.56 SYP 172

54.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.46 SYP 272

51.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.00 SYP 111

123.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.58 SYP 64.2

215.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.53 SYP 169

41.83%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.36 SYP 150

62.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.13 SYP 346

530.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.69 SYP 850

-52.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.93 SYP 876

70.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.87 SYP 95.8

277.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.24 SYP 137

29.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.03 SYP 114

133.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.95 SYP 104

118.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.63 SYP 69.4

142.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.66 SYP 73.0

124.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.38 SYP 41.94

160.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.62 SYP 68.3

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.04 SYP 336

45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.80 SYP 640

234.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.98 SYP 108

81.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.83 SYP 202

48.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.62 SYP 69.0

387.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.22 SYP 134

-18.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.58 SYP 727

114.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.18 SYP 131

15.25%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

52.34%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.8K SYP 2.3M

58.28%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$102 SYP 11.3K

19.43%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$8.44 SYP 933

60.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$35.28 SYP 3,898

-48.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$11.96 SYP 1,322

403.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.04 SYP 336

185.86%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$43.54 SYP 4,811

1492.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,838 SYP 203.1K

753.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$20.10 SYP 2,221

196.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$25.63 SYP 2,832

35.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$45.41 SYP 5,018

152.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$40.25 SYP 4,447

106.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$98.8 SYP 10.9K

520.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$50.8 SYP 5,607

901.20%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tartus: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $98.8 in Tartus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 901% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Tartus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $152 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 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 901% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $98.8 in Tartus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $43.54 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 $27.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $481 in Tartus versus $1,265 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 163% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.