Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tsumeb Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tsumeb

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $771 in Tsumeb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,263 in Tsumeb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,756 in Tsumeb.

Living in Phuket is roughly 59% more expensive than Tsumeb, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Tsumeb 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$16.88 NAD 273

-73.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$37.39 NAD 605

24.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.72 NAD 141

-2.64%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.17 NAD 35.21

41.94%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.12 NAD 34.41

-67.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$2.20 NAD 35.56

-83.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.38 NAD 38.61

2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.20 NAD 19.50

202.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.36 NAD 22.09

61.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.75 NAD 12.11

141.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.52 NAD 24.69

46.71%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.72 NAD 44.06

-17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$13.35 NAD 216

46.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.26 NAD 52.7

14.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$9.63 NAD 156

39.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.31 NAD 37.43

45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.70 NAD 43.68

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.48 NAD 40.23

-2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.05 NAD 33.17

-2.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$2.22 NAD 36.01

-31.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.64 NAD 26.60

-11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.47 NAD 23.86

-31.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.92 NAD 14.92

-47.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.96 NAD 47.85

44.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$0.88 NAD 14.18

109.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.26 NAD 20.33

117.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.81 NAD 13.07

270.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.83 NAD 13.44

26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.14 NAD 18.40

13.16%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$27.5K NAD 445.8K

1.82%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$20.9K NAD 338.3K

60.36%

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

$122 ฿3,964

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

$13.93 ฿453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$28.18 NAD 456

-33.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$22.68 NAD 367

170.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$38.63 NAD 625

1689.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$39.72 NAD 643

45.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$26.14 NAD 423

35.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$42.59 NAD 690

166.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$49.12 NAD 795

68.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$261 NAD 4,229

132.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$208 NAD 3,360

115.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$465 NAD 7,530

336.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$358 NAD 5,796

317.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-40.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Tsumeb: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $261 in Tsumeb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Tsumeb for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $205 per month, with Tsumeb 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 Tsumeb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tsumeb is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,156 in Tsumeb 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: $607 in Phuket versus $261 in Tsumeb. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $38.63 in Tsumeb. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tsumeb – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Tsumeb versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tsumeb but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tsumeb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tsumeb 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 Tsumeb 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 Tsumeb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.