Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tena Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $813 in Tena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,184 in Tena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,556 in Tena.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.07 $3.07

48.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$17.93 $17.93

157.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.35 $5.35

65.23%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.29 $2.29

33.62%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.06 $1.06

-31.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.71 $0.71

-43.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.49 $1.49

63.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.55 $2.55

48.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.06 $1.06

113.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.02 $1.02

77.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.27 $1.27

77.17%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.75 $1.75

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$2.57 $2.57

659.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.08 $3.08

18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$3.51 $3.51

271.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.07 $2.07

56.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.16 $1.16

39.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.02 $1.02

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.33 $1.33

52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.32 $1.32

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.97 $0.97

54.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.52 $0.52

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.02 $1.02

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.47 $3.47

27.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.92 $4.92

272.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.51 $1.51

23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.53 $1.53

75.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.39 $0.39

261.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$24.30 $24.30

-51.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.22 $1.22

154.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.03 $1.03

0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.96 $4.96

184.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.67 $0.67

95.52%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$20.4K $20.4K

36.45%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.4K $25.4K

30.66%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$25.49 $25.49

380.35%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$14.38 $14.38

-5.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$15.21 $15.21

22.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$29.91 $29.91

102.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$14.57 $14.57

16.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.17 $7.17

26.50%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$276 $276

155.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$8,481 $8,481

86.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$57.7 $57.7

1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$44.08 $44.08

-19.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$99.5 $99.5

15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$84.3 $84.3

-0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$340 $340

84.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$314 $314

41.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$620 $620

229.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$491 $491

204.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,313 $1,313

165.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$719 $719

258.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.19

-52.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tena: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $340 in Tena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Tena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $135 per month, with Tena 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 Tena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tena is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,219 in Tena to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $340 in Tena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $276 in Tena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 114% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $813 in Tena versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tena but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tena 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 Tena 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 Tena 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.