😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $672 in Tulungagung.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,032 in Tulungagung.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,393 in Tulungagung.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 88% more expensive than in Tulungagung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Tulungagung50% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.53฿153
$1.73Rp 31.0K
161.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.36฿1,562
$12.45Rp 223.3K
272.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.65฿291
$3.42Rp 61.4K
152.92%
Cappuccino
$3.09฿104
$1.18Rp 21.2K
161.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.85
$0.50Rp 9,051
36.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.41
$0.16Rp 2,830
131.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.42฿81.4
$2.48Rp 44.4K
-2.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.81฿128
$3.59Rp 64.4K
6.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿73.4
$1.22Rp 22.0K
78.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿61.2
$1.18Rp 21.1K
54.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.3
$0.88Rp 15.8K
147.73%
Eggs
$2.24฿75.3
$1.54Rp 27.6K
45.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.93฿671
$8.18Rp 146.8K
143.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.64฿123
$3.07Rp 55.0K
18.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿457
$8.03Rp 144.0K
68.87%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29฿111
$2.41Rp 43.2K
36.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69฿56.8
$1.43Rp 25.7K
18.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.6
$1.81Rp 32.4K
28.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.3
$1.55Rp 27.8K
30.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60฿53.9
$1.37Rp 24.6K
16.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49฿50.4
$1.94Rp 34.8K
-23.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿34.11
$0.97Rp 17.5K
4.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$0.45Rp 8,020
6.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿150
$2.42Rp 43.3K
83.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.63฿628
$20.56Rp 368.7K
-9.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79฿60.2
$2.04Rp 36.5K
-12.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80฿94.2
$3.09Rp 55.5K
-9.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.81
$0.30Rp 5,355
373.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.33฿382
$9.78Rp 175.4K
15.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09฿104
$0.53Rp 9,471
483.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.13
$0.37Rp 6,658
181.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.63฿459
$2.85Rp 51.0K
378.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.15
$0.82Rp 14.6K
59.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K฿919.1K
$25.0KRp 447.6M
9.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$27.5KRp 492.7M
20.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,149
$68.7Rp 1.2M
79.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.81฿465
$4.34Rp 77.9K
218.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿624
$22.77Rp 408.4K
-18.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.4฿2,034
$22.73Rp 407.7K
165.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80฿566
$6.32Rp 113.4K
165.82%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿299
$3.02Rp 54.2K
194.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$687฿23.1K
$93.2Rp 1.7M
636.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿523.9K
$7,608Rp 136.5M
104.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6฿1,942
$41.94Rp 752.1K
37.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.66฿1,168
$31.12Rp 558.1K
11.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,872
$65.5Rp 1.2M
75.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9฿2,860
$75.0Rp 1.3M
13.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618฿20.8K
$254Rp 4.5M
143.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$443฿14.9K
$160Rp 2.9M
176.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,047฿69.0K
$596Rp 10.7M
243.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,506฿50.7K
$339Rp 6.1M
343.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,568฿120.2K
$1,086Rp 19.5M
228.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,511฿84.6K
$802Rp 14.4M
213.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.9K
$112Rp 2.0M
347.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
9.15
-41.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Last update for Tulungagung: July 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $254 in Tulungagung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 347% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Tulungagung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $208 per month, with Tulungagung 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 Tulungagung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tulungagung cheaper than Phuket?
Tulungagung is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Tulungagung?
Average pay runs 347% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Tulungagung?
Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $254 in Tulungagung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $93.2 in Tulungagung. 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 in Tulungagung?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Tulungagung?
At $672 in Tulungagung versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulungagung but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tulungagung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tulungagung more family-friendly?
For families, Tulungagung 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 Tulungagung?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tulungagung 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 Tulungagung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.