Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tumon

For one person, living is cheaper in Tumon: $429 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Tumon

🇬🇺 Guam

$429

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Tumon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Tumon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $429 in Tumon.

Phuket $1,208
Tumon $429

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $2,002 in Tumon.

Phuket $2,027
Tumon $2,002

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $3,574 in Tumon.

Phuket $2,845
Tumon $3,574

Living in Phuket is roughly 182% more expensive than in Tumon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Tumon 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿149

$25.37 $25.37

-82.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,090

$51.7 $51.7

-37.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿296

$12.95 $12.95

-32.36%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$6.01 $6.01

-52.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ฿30.48

$3.05 $3.05

-70.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.74

$3.03 $3.03

-84.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿86.1

$7.12 $7.12

-64.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿129

$8.88 $8.88

-56.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿58.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.65

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.1

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿666

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿113

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿377

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿96.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿57.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿74.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿69.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿49.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿36.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿628

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿60.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿96.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.5

$6.87 $6.87

-67.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿747

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.73

$1.94 $1.94

-45.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.99

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.3K ฿889.6K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.9K ฿910.4K

$29.1K $29.1K

-7.49%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.4 ฿3,257

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.04 ฿373

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿579

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,763

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿377

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿264

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$556 ฿18.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿391.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,169

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿969

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,222

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,973

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.6K

$2,433 $2,433

-50.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿85.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tumon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Tumon

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Tumon

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Tumon

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Tumon

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Tumon

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Tumon

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Tumon

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $32 in Phuket vs $52 in Tumon for two.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇬🇺 Tumon

🕒 Local time

20:34 8:34 PM

23:34 11:34 PM

3 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

44,943

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 33.79 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.91 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Tumon 5,100 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Tumon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tumon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tumon is cheaper overall, especially in transport. The 182% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $643 in Tumon 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $52 in Tumon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,208 per month in Phuket versus $429 in Tumon – a 182% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $429 in Tumon versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Tumon but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tumon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Tumon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.