Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tepelene Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tepelene

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,227 in Tepelene.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,874 in Tepelene.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,520 in Tepelene.

Living in Phuket is roughly 3% more expensive than in Tepelene, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Tepelene 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.16 ALL 803

-54.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$54.3 ALL 4,291

-40.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$11.49 ALL 907

-24.46%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.47 ALL 195

17.41%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.49 ALL 196

-66.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.29 ALL 102

-62.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.58 ALL 282

-30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.05 ALL 320

-7.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.24 ALL 177

-15.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.28 ALL 101

10.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.44 ALL 192

-33.61%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.74 ALL 295

-40.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.57 ALL 1,071

46.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$9.12 ALL 720

-61.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$17.65 ALL 1,394

-35.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.93 ALL 152

50.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.55 ALL 201

-32.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.18 ALL 172

4.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.96 ALL 155

8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.08 ALL 85.1

36.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.27 ALL 101

11.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.50 ALL 118

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.83 ALL 65.2

-27.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.00 ALL 395

-13.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.38 ALL 899

63.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.82 ALL 144

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.04 ALL 161

45.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.48 ALL 38.27

368.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$20.28 ALL 1,602

15.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.71 ALL 293

-16.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.84 ALL 304

-71.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$19.08 ALL 1,507

-79.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.41 ALL 190

-40.66%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$34.4K ALL 2.7M

-19.25%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$36.0K ALL 2.8M

-25.09%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$105 ALL 8,269

0.10%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$19.08 ALL 1,507

-40.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$20.97 ALL 1,656

-16.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$59.1 ALL 4,669

-8.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$10.26 ALL 810

-24.17%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$355 ALL 28.0K

62.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,347 ALL 659.3K

38.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$50.8 ALL 4,010

25.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$47.35 ALL 3,739

-38.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$125 ALL 9,863

-22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$114 ALL 8,983

-20.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$482 ALL 38.1K

52.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$336 ALL 26.5K

49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$711 ALL 56.1K

199.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$487 ALL 38.4K

157.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,887 ALL 149.0K

87.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,250 ALL 98.7K

109.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$701 ALL 55.3K

-27.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.64

-1.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tepelene: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $482 in Tepelene. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tepelene pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Tepelene for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $300 per month, with Phuket 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 Tepelene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Tepelene differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,227 including rent). Tepelene is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Tepelene. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $482 in Tepelene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $355 in Tepelene. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,227 in Tepelene versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tepelene but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tepelene the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tepelene 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 Tepelene 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 Tepelene gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.