😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $666 in Tulungagung.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $1,008 in Tulungagung.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,349 in Tulungagung.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 91% more expensive than Tulungagung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Tulungagung50% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$1.64Rp 28.2K
184.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,496
$12.41Rp 213.3K
274.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿280
$3.42Rp 58.7K
153.80%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿95.0
$1.19Rp 20.4K
147.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.52
$0.51Rp 8,764
37.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.70
$0.15Rp 2,640
160.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.6
$2.42Rp 41.6K
4.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿122
$3.57Rp 61.3K
5.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.5
$1.18Rp 20.3K
88.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.8
$1.12Rp 19.2K
60.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.4
$0.87Rp 15.0K
151.72%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.5
$1.54Rp 26.5K
50.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿623
$8.07Rp 138.6K
139.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$3.08Rp 52.9K
22.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿426
$7.65Rp 131.4K
72.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$2.39Rp 41.0K
39.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿53.1
$1.43Rp 24.6K
15.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.7
$1.89Rp 32.4K
21.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.1
$1.57Rp 27.0K
26.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.24
$1.33Rp 22.9K
15.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.77
$1.94Rp 33.3K
-22.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.12
$0.96Rp 16.5K
7.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.57
$0.45Rp 7,758
13.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿142
$2.42Rp 41.6K
82.23%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿625
$22.99Rp 395.1K
-15.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.0
$2.05Rp 35.2K
-12.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.4
$3.13Rp 53.7K
-14.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿46.11
$0.32Rp 5,568
346.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿377
$9.57Rp 164.5K
22.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.9
$0.56Rp 9,668
442.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.37
$0.35Rp 5,981
197.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿441
$3.00Rp 51.5K
356.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.85
$0.78Rp 13.4K
66.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿898.9K
$24.2KRp 416.0M
15.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$28.2KRp 484.3M
17.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,962
$70.3Rp 1.2M
74.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿445
$4.34Rp 74.6K
218.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿608
$22.67Rp 389.5K
-16.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,970
$23.02Rp 395.6K
165.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿541
$6.01Rp 103.3K
179.70%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿286
$3.13Rp 53.7K
183.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.4K
$91.8Rp 1.6M
658.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿517.4K
$7,484Rp 128.6M
114.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,910
$41.53Rp 713.7K
42.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,123
$31.20Rp 536.2K
11.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,646
$65.6Rp 1.1M
72.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,740
$73.8Rp 1.3M
15.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$262Rp 4.5M
134.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$160Rp 2.8M
179.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿67.2K
$598Rp 10.3M
248.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.2K
$338Rp 5.8M
342.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿120.3K
$1,243Rp 21.4M
200.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.8K
$768Rp 13.2M
246.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.2K
$115Rp 2.0M
362.91%
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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Tulungagung: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $262 in Tulungagung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 363% 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 in Phuket vs $12 in Tulungagung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $211 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 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Tulungagung?
Phuket pays 363% more on average, 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: $615 in Phuket versus $262 in Tulungagung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $91.8 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 Tulungagung?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tulungagung?
At $666 in Tulungagung versus $1,270 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 91% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.