Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tehran Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tehran

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $692 in Tehran.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,123 in Tehran.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,555 in Tehran.

Living in Phuket is roughly 81% more expensive than in Tehran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tehran 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.05 $4.05

12.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.29 $18.29

152.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.10 $5.10

73.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 $0.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.30 $1.30

135.38%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.45 $0.45

62.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.08 $1.08

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.58 $0.58

289.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.54 $0.54

235.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.85 $1.85

21.62%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.19 $1.19

89.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.36 $3.36

480.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.36 $3.36

8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.76 $10.76

21.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.93 $0.93

247.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.41 $1.41

14.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.82 $0.82

190.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.63 $0.63

222.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.51 $0.51

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.50 $0.50

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.60 $0.60

63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.25 $0.25

108.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.45 $2.45

81.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.24 $0.24

487.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$9.90 $9.90

18.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.48 $0.48

547.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.29 $0.29

258.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.08 $3.08

358.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.78 $0.78

67.95%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$79.7K $79.7K

-65.08%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$53.9K $53.9K

-38.33%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$15.97 $15.97

666.69%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$2.17 $2.17

526.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$5.60 $5.60

233.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$22.81 $22.81

165.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$11.73 $11.73

44.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$1.53 $1.53

492.81%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$127 $127

454.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,949 $1,949

711.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$31.39 $31.39

86.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$34.37 $34.37

2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$124 $124

-6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$69.9 $69.9

19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$491 $491

27.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$347 $347

28.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,012 $1,012

101.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$719 $719

107.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,244 $1,244

180.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$734 $734

251.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$217 $217

130.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

25.07

-78.74%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tehran: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $491 in Tehran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 130% 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 $18.00 in Tehran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $110 per month, with Tehran 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 Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tehran is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 130% 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 $491 in Tehran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $127 in Tehran. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 163% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $692 in Tehran versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tehran but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tehran the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tehran 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 Tehran 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 Tehran gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.