Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tobago Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tobago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,193 in Tobago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,838 in Tobago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,484 in Tobago.

Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than in Tobago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Tobago 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$10.17 TTD 67.7

-55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$42.46 TTD 283

-23.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$9.58 TTD 63.7

-7.10%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.67 TTD 24.45

-23.71%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.63 TTD 10.88

-46.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.63 TTD 10.88

-69.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$3.77 TTD 25.12

-36.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$4.39 TTD 29.19

-15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.50 TTD 16.66

-28.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$2.49 TTD 16.55

-42.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.30 TTD 15.29

-31.30%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$4.85 TTD 32.30

-56.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.20 TTD 41.26

221.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$7.21 TTD 47.95

-52.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$5.91 TTD 39.34

91.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$4.01 TTD 26.66

-26.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.46 TTD 16.36

-30.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$2.25 TTD 14.99

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.26 TTD 15.03

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.99 TTD 6.56

48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.65 TTD 11.00

-17.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.81 TTD 12.05

-39.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.49 TTD 9.89

-61.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.45 TTD 29.63

-4.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$21.66 TTD 144

-14.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$3.77 TTD 25.06

-50.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$4.40 TTD 29.31

-33.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.76 TTD 5.03

192.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.77 TTD 5.14

293.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$9.07 TTD 60.4

-56.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.04 TTD 6.91

43.27%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$103 ฿3,380

$59.9 TTD 399

71.50%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$26.98 TTD 180

-59.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$74.0 TTD 493

-76.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$51.2 TTD 341

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$7.89 TTD 52.5

-5.20%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$74.5 TTD 495

648.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$43.59 TTD 290

46.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$48.02 TTD 320

-39.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$137 TTD 913

-30.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$89.9 TTD 599

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$399 TTD 2,656

82.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$329 TTD 2,191

51.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$550 TTD 3,662

279.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$509 TTD 3,390

137.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$746 TTD 4,963

-32.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tobago: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $399 in Tobago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tobago pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Tobago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $308 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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tobago is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Tobago. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $399 in Tobago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $74.5 in Tobago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tobago – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,193 in Tobago versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tobago but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tobago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tobago 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 Tobago 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 Tobago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.