😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $402 in Tulsipur.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $655 in Tulsipur.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $909 in Tulsipur.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 211% more expensive than in 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
$4.55฿153
$1.84NPR 284
147.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$19.12NPR 2,948
141.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$6.61NPR 1,020
33.74%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.55NPR 238
97.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.50NPR 77.5
46.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.19NPR 28.86
110.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.58NPR 397
-5.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$3.73NPR 576
1.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$0.73NPR 113
209.59%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$0.60NPR 92.0
201.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$0.77NPR 118
192.21%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.65NPR 255
36.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$7.63NPR 1,176
155.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$3.13NPR 483
16.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$6.06NPR 934
115.35%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$2.22NPR 342
45.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.05NPR 162
54.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$1.24NPR 191
91.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$0.64NPR 99.2
217.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$0.49NPR 75.5
212.24%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$0.63NPR 97.7
138.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.49NPR 75.6
100.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.25NPR 38.43
108.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$2.98NPR 460
48.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$2.26NPR 349
-17.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$3.20NPR 493
-16.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$0.18NPR 28.30
683.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$2.23NPR 344
39.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.82NPR 126
26.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$3.62NPR 558
289.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.22NPR 189
7.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$32.6KNPR 5.0M
-14.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$40.0KNPR 6.2M
-16.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$26.19NPR 4,038
367.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$4.74NPR 732
186.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$9.66NPR 1,489
93.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$18.04NPR 2,782
235.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$2.75NPR 423
229.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$72.2NPR 11.1K
878.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$2,736NPR 421.9K
477.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$24.60NPR 3,793
138.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$27.72NPR 4,275
27.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$45.11NPR 6,956
155.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$28.56NPR 4,404
193.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$104NPR 16.1K
500.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$64.4NPR 9,935
590.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$204NPR 31.5K
899.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$143NPR 22.1K
941.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tulsipur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Tulsipur: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $104 in Tulsipur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Tulsipur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 211% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $602 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: $626 in Phuket versus $104 in Tulsipur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $72.2 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 in Tulsipur?
Dining out is cheaper in Tulsipur – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Tulsipur?
At $402 in Tulsipur versus $1,250 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 211% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.