😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $630 in Tulungagung.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $965 in Tulungagung.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,299 in Tulungagung.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 101% more expensive than in Tulungagung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Tulungagung54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿153
$0.82Rp 14.4K
468.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,059
$9.48Rp 166.9K
239.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿285
$2.21Rp 38.9K
292.76%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.3
$1.07Rp 18.9K
171.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.75
$0.41Rp 7,280
104.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$0.15Rp 2,674
226.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿81.6
$2.21Rp 39.0K
12.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$3.56Rp 62.8K
4.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.0
$1.17Rp 20.7K
61.54%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.31
$1.12Rp 19.7K
25.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.3
$0.88Rp 15.4K
84.09%
Eggs
$2.24฿73.7
$1.46Rp 25.7K
53.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿652
$7.32Rp 128.9K
171.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿114
$3.04Rp 53.6K
14.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿374
$7.70Rp 135.5K
47.66%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.3
$2.20Rp 38.7K
31.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.7
$1.26Rp 22.2K
36.51%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿74.7
$1.73Rp 30.5K
31.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.1
$1.29Rp 22.7K
65.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.49
$1.27Rp 22.4K
15.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.69
$2.00Rp 35.2K
-29.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.08
$0.77Rp 13.6K
42.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.66
$0.44Rp 7,683
36.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$2.81Rp 49.5K
53.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿612
$20.86Rp 367.5K
-10.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.2
$1.87Rp 33.0K
-3.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿97.5
$2.93Rp 51.6K
1.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿73.8
$0.27Rp 4,704
733.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿772
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$0.53Rp 9,368
484.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.39
$0.33Rp 5,762
227.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿127
$2.85Rp 50.2K
35.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿46.93
$0.76Rp 13.5K
88.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿913.6K
$23.0KRp 404.4M
21.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿887.2K
$31.3KRp 551.3M
-13.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,446
$69.1Rp 1.2M
51.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿375
$4.51Rp 79.4K
152.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿577
$19.67Rp 346.4K
-10.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,787
$19.98Rp 351.8K
171.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿376
$8.66Rp 152.5K
32.10%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿256
$2.78Rp 49.0K
179.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$96.5Rp 1.7M
497.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿380.8K
$7,871Rp 138.6M
47.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,092
$44.40Rp 782.0K
43.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿957
$29.98Rp 528.0K
-2.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,164
$73.2Rp 1.3M
31.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,960
$70.3Rp 1.2M
28.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.1K
$223Rp 3.9M
229.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$157Rp 2.8M
218.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿69.9K
$558Rp 9.8M
280.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.2K
$363Rp 6.4M
245.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.2K
$1,184Rp 20.9M
198.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.2K
$671Rp 11.8M
291.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tulungagung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$115Rp 2.0M
342.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
9.46
-41.12%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Tulungagung: September 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $223 in Tulungagung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 343% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Tulungagung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $198 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, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Tulungagung?
Average pay runs 343% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $223 in Tulungagung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $96.5 in Tulungagung. 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 Tulungagung?
Dining out is cheaper in Tulungagung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $32.00 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 Tulungagung?
At $630 in Tulungagung versus $1,265 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 101% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.