Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tema Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $608 in Tema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $984 in Tema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,360 in Tema.

Living in Phuket is roughly 107% more expensive than Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tema 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.23 GHS 79.5

-36.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$27.52 GHS 303

69.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.79 GHS 85.7

8.73%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.52 GHS 16.70

99.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.03 GHS 11.37

-33.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.31 GHS 3.40

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.71 GHS 18.85

45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.67 GHS 29.35

37.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$3.05 GHS 33.53

-28.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.65 GHS 18.14

15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.50 GHS 16.45

46.67%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.17 GHS 23.89

2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$3.60 GHS 39.57

455.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.64 GHS 29.03

38.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$2.44 GHS 26.89

443.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.79 GHS 30.65

15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.99 GHS 21.89

-14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.07 GHS 22.81

15.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.94 GHS 32.39

-29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.80 GHS 19.83

-11.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.98 GHS 21.81

-25.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.60 GHS 6.63

71.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.83 GHS 9.12

-37.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.88 GHS 75.7

173.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.87 GHS 9.58

102.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$2.00 GHS 22.05

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$39.98 GHS 440

-71.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.42 GHS 15.57

121.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.72 GHS 7.92

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.22 GHS 13.46

9.84%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$30.56 GHS 336

304.42%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$12.40 GHS 136

9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$63.9 GHS 703

-70.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$19.29 GHS 212

220.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$83.0 GHS 913

746.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$24.85 GHS 273

139.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$25.05 GHS 276

40.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$45.65 GHS 502

152.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$62.2 GHS 684

35.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$117 GHS 1,282

431.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$66.2 GHS 728

553.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$137 GHS 1,506

1003.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$9,866 GHS 108.5K

-63.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$5,964 GHS 65.6K

-55.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$412 GHS 4,531

23.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

32.5

-83.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tema: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $117 in Tema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 23% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Tema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $182 per month, with Tema 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 Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 23% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $117 in Tema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $83.0 in Tema. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $608 in Tema versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tema but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tema 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 Tema 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 Tema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.