😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $666 in Tulungagung.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,013 in Tulungagung.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,359 in Tulungagung.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 89% more expensive than 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
$4.56฿150
$1.66Rp 30.2K
174.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,535
$12.34Rp 223.7K
277.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿279
$3.41Rp 61.9K
148.39%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿99.7
$1.14Rp 20.6K
165.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.69
$0.51Rp 9,228
35.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$0.16Rp 2,859
131.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.9
$2.41Rp 43.6K
3.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿120
$3.43Rp 62.2K
6.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.8
$1.18Rp 21.4K
84.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.6
$1.13Rp 20.5K
68.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿72.4
$0.95Rp 17.3K
131.58%
Eggs
$2.22฿73.2
$1.55Rp 28.1K
43.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿658
$8.17Rp 148.2K
144.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿121
$3.18Rp 57.6K
15.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿436
$7.97Rp 144.6K
66.25%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿106
$2.28Rp 41.4K
41.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.9
$1.45Rp 26.2K
17.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.8
$1.88Rp 34.2K
27.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$1.51Rp 27.5K
37.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿52.4
$1.32Rp 23.9K
20.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.83
$1.89Rp 34.3K
-21.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.90
$0.96Rp 17.4K
7.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.01
$0.45Rp 8,131
15.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿140
$2.52Rp 45.7K
68.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿618
$20.99Rp 380.6K
-10.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.8
$2.08Rp 37.7K
-15.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿90.8
$3.22Rp 58.4K
-14.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.79
$0.30Rp 5,378
353.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿374
$9.63Rp 174.6K
17.96%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿103
$0.54Rp 9,747
481.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿34.10
$0.34Rp 6,230
205.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿453
$2.95Rp 53.4K
366.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.26
$0.82Rp 14.9K
63.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿911.1K
$24.9KRp 452.0M
11.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$27.8KRp 504.6M
21.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,069
$69.3Rp 1.3M
78.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿445
$4.40Rp 79.8K
207.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿615
$22.73Rp 412.2K
-17.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,035
$22.89Rp 415.1K
170.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿568
$6.02Rp 109.2K
186.54%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿301
$3.02Rp 54.7K
202.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿23.1K
$91.9Rp 1.7M
664.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿522.5K
$7,488Rp 135.8M
111.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,958
$41.35Rp 749.9K
43.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,154
$30.63Rp 555.6K
14.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,795
$66.3Rp 1.2M
73.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,767
$73.2Rp 1.3M
14.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.4K
$258Rp 4.7M
140.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.2K
$157Rp 2.8M
175.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.9K
$583Rp 10.6M
253.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.7K
$335Rp 6.1M
351.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿120.0K
$1,235Rp 22.4M
195.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿86.4K
$791Rp 14.3M
232.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.7K
$108Rp 2.0M
367.63%
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Tulungagung: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $258 in Tulungagung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 368% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Tulungagung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Tulungagung?
Phuket pays 368% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $258 in Tulungagung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $91.9 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 41% 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 $1,261 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 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.