Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tubli Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tubli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Tubli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,507 in Tubli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $3,389 in Tubli.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 24% less than in Tubli, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Tubli is 21% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 ฿151
$6.56 BHD 2.46
-29.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84 ฿1,532
$53.5 BHD 20.13
-12.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿289
$7.25 BHD 2.73
21.93%
Cappuccino
$3.00 ฿98.0
$2.59 BHD 0.97
15.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ฿24.25
$0.77 BHD 0.29
-3.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.95
$0.26 BHD 0.10
42.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 ฿79.8
$7.88 BHD 2.96
-69.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 ฿118
$10.43 BHD 3.92
-65.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿73.9
$1.72 BHD 0.65
31.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 ฿60.1
$1.03 BHD 0.39
78.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ฿73.4
$2.31 BHD 0.87
-3.03%
Eggs
$2.32 ฿75.7
$2.49 BHD 0.94
-6.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.67 ฿643
$8.95 BHD 3.36
119.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿119
$7.55 BHD 2.84
-51.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 ฿428
$10.15 BHD 3.82
29.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 ฿111
$2.44 BHD 0.92
38.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿53.7
$2.13 BHD 0.80
-23.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿79.0
$1.74 BHD 0.65
38.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿66.4
$1.17 BHD 0.44
73.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿50.9
$0.93 BHD 0.35
67.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿48.94
$1.03 BHD 0.39
45.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ฿33.50
$1.49 BHD 0.56
-31.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.00
$0.87 BHD 0.33
-43.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45 ฿145
$6.51 BHD 2.45
-31.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.88 ฿617
$18.68 BHD 7.03
1.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$3.47 BHD 1.31
-48.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 ฿90.1
$3.25 BHD 1.22
-15.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 ฿45.81
$1.60 BHD 0.60
-12.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.48 ฿376
$53.3 BHD 20.04
-78.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 ฿102
$4.61 BHD 1.73
-32.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 ฿32.67
$3.94 BHD 1.48
-74.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.09 ฿461
$26.59 BHD 10.00
-47.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 ฿44.19
$0.56 BHD 0.21
141.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K ฿888.9K
$37.6K BHD 14.2K
-27.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$20.6K BHD 7,727
60.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 ฿4,087
$91.6 BHD 34.45
36.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿444
$27.43 BHD 10.31
-50.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52 ฿606
$38.13 BHD 14.34
-51.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.5 ฿2,010
$158 BHD 59.2
-60.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 ฿551
$77.3 BHD 29.05
-78.21%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19 ฿300
$10.78 BHD 4.05
-14.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.8K
$387 BHD 145
80.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K ฿509.9K
$4,038 BHD 1,518
286.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 ฿1,889
$45.66 BHD 17.17
26.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 ฿1,152
$61.7 BHD 23.19
-42.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 ฿3,699
$82.9 BHD 31.17
36.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 ฿2,825
$78.1 BHD 29.35
10.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$616 ฿20.1K
$980 BHD 369
-37.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 ฿14.6K
$656 BHD 247
-31.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,048 ฿67.0K
$1,578 BHD 593
29.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿48.8K
$1,203 BHD 452
24.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,779 ฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,649 ฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tubli
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 ฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
8.56
-37.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tubli: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $980 in Tubli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Tubli. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $262, with Tubli cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tubli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tubli cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $2,438 in Tubli 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Tubli?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $980 in Tubli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $387 in Tubli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Tubli?
Shoppers in Tubli pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tubli?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Tubli, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tubli. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tubli more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tubli, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Tubli?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tubli are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Tubli. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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