Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Temara Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Temara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $818 in Temara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,274 in Temara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,730 in Temara.

Living in Phuket is roughly 54% more expensive than Temara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Temara 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.57 MAD 42.25

-0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$32.33 MAD 299

44.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.56 MAD 60.7

29.12%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.51 MAD 23.19

20.72%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.64 MAD 5.92

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.37 MAD 3.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$5.37 MAD 49.65

-53.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.02 MAD 37.15

-8.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.86 MAD 7.98

153.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.54 MAD 5.04

251.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.75 MAD 16.19

25.71%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.09 MAD 19.34

6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$12.81 MAD 119

56.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.02 MAD 55.7

-39.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.04 MAD 102

20.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.51 MAD 13.97

113.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.38 MAD 12.74

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.82 MAD 7.62

191.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.89 MAD 8.23

133.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.74 MAD 6.89

114.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.74 MAD 6.82

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.39 MAD 3.61

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.64 MAD 5.91

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.28 MAD 39.55

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$7.98 MAD 73.8

135.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.47 MAD 22.83

11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.57 MAD 5.29

138.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$16.68 MAD 154

-31.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.91 MAD 8.39

245.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.78 MAD 7.24

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.28 MAD 39.59

221.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.51 MAD 14.01

-11.26%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$36.7K MAD 339.4K

-24.56%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$30.0K MAD 277.4K

12.93%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$38.51 MAD 356

220.93%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.68 MAD 98.8

26.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$39.36 MAD 364

-52.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$23.62 MAD 219

161.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$5.51 MAD 51.0

213.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.48 MAD 59.9

41.05%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$134 MAD 1,242

423.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,339 MAD 21.6K

578.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$43.41 MAD 402

36.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$49.40 MAD 457

-29.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$107 MAD 991

7.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$103 MAD 954

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$404 MAD 3,740

53.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$211 MAD 1,956

104.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$685 MAD 6,336

201.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$335 MAD 3,098

351.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,238 MAD 11.5K

194.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$917 MAD 8,487

186.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$243 MAD 2,250

108.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.75

12.21%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Temara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $404 in Temara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 108% 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 $32.00 in Temara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $202 per month, with Temara 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 Temara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Temara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 108% 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 $404 in Temara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $134 in Temara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $818 in Temara versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Temara but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Temara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Temara 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 Temara 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 Temara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.