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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,115 in Tobago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,875 in Tobago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,634 in Tobago.

Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than Tobago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Tobago 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.99 TTD 60.2

-47.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$65.6 TTD 439

-30.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.23 TTD 48.47

16.60%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.63 TTD 24.32

-19.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.92 TTD 6.13

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.81 TTD 5.42

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.67 TTD 24.58

-34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.88 TTD 19.30

29.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.26 TTD 15.15

-1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.30 TTD 15.42

-20.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.90 TTD 19.46

-25.17%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$4.48 TTD 30.01

-50.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.28 TTD 48.75

171.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.35 TTD 49.25

-50.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.46 TTD 49.98

81.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$6.97 TTD 46.69

-52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.36 TTD 15.83

-31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.92 TTD 19.58

-17.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.90 TTD 19.41

-28.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.21 TTD 8.11

26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.20 TTD 8.04

23.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.59 TTD 10.67

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.31 TTD 8.76

-61.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.83 TTD 32.35

-8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$21.73 TTD 146

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.42 TTD 22.91

-47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.37 TTD 22.59

-19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.77 TTD 5.15

77.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.76 TTD 5.06

297.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.77 TTD 5.18

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$15.24 TTD 102

-7.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.04 TTD 6.94

30.77%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

5.69%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

-18.65%

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$60.2 TTD 404

-69.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$54.6 TTD 366

10.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$15.05 TTD 101

13.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.43 TTD 49.79

16.96%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$96.9 TTD 649

615.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$51.7 TTD 346

15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$46.21 TTD 310

-24.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$154 TTD 1,029

-25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$69.9 TTD 469

19.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$413 TTD 2,767

48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$341 TTD 2,283

28.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$805 TTD 5,394

160.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$660 TTD 4,420

128.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$733 TTD 4,908

-30.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tobago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $413 in Tobago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tobago pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $66.0 in Tobago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $327 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tobago earns 44% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $413 in Tobago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $96.9 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 $66.0 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,115 in Tobago versus $1,265 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 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.