😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $963 in Tutrakan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,502 in Tutrakan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,042 in Tutrakan.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than in Tutrakan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Tutrakan30% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$11.28BGN 18.76
-60.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,073
$42.53BGN 70.8
-24.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$10.81BGN 17.99
-17.39%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.3
$1.82BGN 3.02
59.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.27
$1.70BGN 2.83
-48.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.00
$0.98BGN 1.63
-51.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.2
$2.23BGN 3.70
5.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$2.47BGN 4.11
50.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.0
$1.83BGN 3.05
2.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.75
$1.00BGN 1.66
47.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$2.01BGN 3.34
-22.89%
Eggs
$2.10฿69.9
$3.20BGN 5.33
-34.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿651
$9.43BGN 15.70
107.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$6.57BGN 10.94
-47.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿378
$10.34BGN 17.20
10.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.2
$1.51BGN 2.51
97.35%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.0
$1.92BGN 3.19
-12.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$1.82BGN 3.03
21.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿71.9
$2.41BGN 4.01
-10.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.7
$1.11BGN 1.85
36.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.49
$1.07BGN 1.77
25.23%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.53
$0.91BGN 1.52
24.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.17
$0.74BGN 1.23
-25.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$3.72BGN 6.19
14.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$6.81BGN 11.32
180.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$1.02BGN 1.70
74.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.5
$1.88BGN 3.13
47.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.1
$0.85BGN 1.42
162.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿756
$22.23BGN 36.98
2.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$1.38BGN 2.30
119.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.02
$0.72BGN 1.19
41.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿129
$10.92BGN 18.16
-64.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.57
$1.60BGN 2.65
-6.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿883.8K
$31.6KBGN 52.6K
-15.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿898.7K
$24.1KBGN 40.1K
12.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,407
$105BGN 175
-2.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$16.53BGN 27.50
-31.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿578
$12.46BGN 20.72
39.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,732
$35.02BGN 58.3
48.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿368
$17.59BGN 29.26
-37.07%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$7.04BGN 11.70
9.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.6K
$525BGN 873
6.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿382.6K
$6,419BGN 10.7K
79.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,096
$45.68BGN 76.0
37.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿982
$28.82BGN 47.95
2.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,259
$84.2BGN 140
16.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,943
$92.2BGN 153
-4.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.5K
$363BGN 605
103.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.0K
$291BGN 485
65.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.0K
$638BGN 1,062
230.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$417BGN 694
193.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.3K
$1,370BGN 2,278
164.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.5K
$1,124BGN 1,869
131.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
2.99
86.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Tutrakan: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $363 in Tutrakan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $43.00 in Tutrakan. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $220, with Tutrakan cheaper for home cooking.
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 Tutrakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tutrakan cheaper than Phuket?
Tutrakan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,445 in Tutrakan 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Tutrakan?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $363 in Tutrakan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $525 in Tutrakan. 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 Tutrakan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Tutrakan?
At $963 in Tutrakan versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tutrakan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tutrakan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tutrakan more family-friendly?
For families, Tutrakan 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 Tutrakan?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tutrakan 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 Tutrakan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.