😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $397 in Tulsipur.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $651 in Tulsipur.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $904 in Tulsipur.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 218% more expensive than Tulsipur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Tulsipur70% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$1.81NPR 275
159.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$19.04NPR 2,898
138.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$6.61NPR 1,007
27.53%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$1.51NPR 230
94.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.53NPR 80.9
30.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.15NPR 23.19
146.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.52NPR 383
-4.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.54NPR 539
5.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$0.74NPR 112
201.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$0.54NPR 82.7
238.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$0.82NPR 125
164.63%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$1.70NPR 259
30.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$7.36NPR 1,121
168.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$3.08NPR 469
17.86%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$6.23NPR 949
117.17%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.28NPR 347
43.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.05NPR 159
53.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.25NPR 190
92.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$0.64NPR 98.1
225.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.48NPR 73.6
218.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$0.64NPR 97.2
131.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.54NPR 81.5
83.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.27NPR 41.34
88.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$2.92NPR 445
51.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.32NPR 353
-23.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$3.34NPR 508
-18.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.20NPR 30.74
585.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$2.13NPR 324
41.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.76NPR 116
30.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$3.53NPR 538
299.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.23NPR 188
10.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$32.5KNPR 4.9M
-13.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$40.3KNPR 6.1M
-18.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$26.63NPR 4,054
357.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$4.75NPR 723
185.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$9.71NPR 1,478
88.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$18.06NPR 2,749
233.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$2.75NPR 419
216.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$71.4NPR 10.9K
871.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$2,715NPR 413.2K
477.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$25.08NPR 3,818
137.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$27.84NPR 4,238
24.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$46.06NPR 7,011
148.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$28.60NPR 4,353
191.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$107NPR 16.3K
473.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$62.5NPR 9,519
598.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$210NPR 31.9K
898.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$146NPR 22.2K
932.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12.08
-55.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Tulsipur: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $107 in Tulsipur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Tulsipur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $131 per month, with Tulsipur 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 Tulsipur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tulsipur cheaper than Phuket?
Tulsipur is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 218% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $596 in Tulsipur 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 Tulsipur?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $107 in Tulsipur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $71.4 in Tulsipur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Tulsipur?
Dining out is cheaper in Tulsipur – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tulsipur?
At $397 in Tulsipur versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulsipur but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tulsipur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tulsipur more family-friendly?
For families, Tulsipur 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Tulsipur?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tulsipur 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 Tulsipur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.