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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $710 in Tehran.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,139 in Tehran.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,569 in Tehran.

Living in Phuket is roughly 78% more expensive than Tehran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tehran 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.89 $3.89

20.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$18.06 $18.06

151.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.06 $5.06

66.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.30 $1.30

125.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.45 $0.45

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.03 $1.03

-64.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.59 $0.59

277.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.57 $0.57

221.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.87 $1.87

16.04%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.16 $1.16

90.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.42 $3.42

477.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.24 $3.24

12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.93 $10.93

23.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.88 $0.88

272.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.42 $1.42

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.81 $0.81

197.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.67 $0.67

210.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.55 $0.55

178.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.50 $0.50

196.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.58 $0.58

70.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.23 $0.23

121.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.57 $2.57

71.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.24 $0.24

470.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$9.95 $9.95

14.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.52 $0.52

480.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.31 $0.31

219.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.07 $3.07

359.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.76 $0.76

78.95%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$81.4K $81.4K

-65.36%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$55.9K $55.9K

-41.10%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$15.74 $15.74

673.19%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$2.18 $2.18

522.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$5.66 $5.66

223.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$23.05 $23.05

161.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$11.87 $11.87

44.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$1.54 $1.54

464.29%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$125 $125

454.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,001 $2,001

683.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$30.87 $30.87

92.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.04 $34.04

2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$122 $122

-5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$70.4 $70.4

18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$489 $489

25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$336 $336

30.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,020 $1,020

105.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$709 $709

112.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,265 $1,265

196.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$817 $817

220.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$211 $211

140.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tehran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $489 in Tehran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 140% 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 $18.00 in Tehran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 140% 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 $489 in Tehran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $125 in Tehran. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 166% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $710 in Tehran versus $1,265 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 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.