😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $909 in Tutrakan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,390 in Tutrakan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,870 in Tutrakan.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than Tutrakan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Tutrakan32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$8.79BGN 14.61
-48.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$35.25BGN 58.6
32.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$8.70BGN 14.47
-2.64%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$1.89BGN 3.15
60.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.32BGN 2.19
-47.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.92BGN 1.52
-59.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$1.80BGN 2.99
38.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.34BGN 3.89
56.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.70BGN 2.83
28.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$0.95BGN 1.58
100.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.82BGN 3.02
20.88%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.05BGN 5.08
-27.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$9.60BGN 15.97
108.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$7.79BGN 12.96
-53.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$11.47BGN 19.08
15.52%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.58BGN 2.63
104.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.88BGN 3.12
-9.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.78BGN 2.97
34.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.22BGN 3.70
-6.31%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.01BGN 1.67
57.43%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.05BGN 1.74
40.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.05BGN 1.74
-1.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.74BGN 1.23
-29.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$3.44BGN 5.72
23.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$6.36BGN 10.58
195.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.03BGN 1.72
70.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$1.74BGN 2.90
58.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.86BGN 1.44
58.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$26.64BGN 44.32
-57.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$1.16BGN 1.94
170.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$0.62BGN 1.04
67.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$10.66BGN 17.73
29.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.49BGN 2.48
-10.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$32.6KBGN 54.2K
-15.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$26.8KBGN 44.6K
26.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$97.8BGN 163
26.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$16.87BGN 28.07
-19.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$13.05BGN 21.71
43.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$29.46BGN 49.00
109.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$14.67BGN 24.41
17.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$7.03BGN 11.70
30.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$326BGN 542
115.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$5,487BGN 9,128
189.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$52.4BGN 87.1
13.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$29.71BGN 49.43
18.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$78.3BGN 130
47.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$74.1BGN 123
13.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$290BGN 483
113.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$236BGN 392
83.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$481BGN 801
328.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$353BGN 587
328.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$1,332BGN 2,216
173.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$1,117BGN 1,859
134.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tutrakan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.49
18.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Tutrakan: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $290 in Tutrakan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Tutrakan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $225 per month, with Tutrakan 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 Tutrakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tutrakan cheaper than Phuket?
Tutrakan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,364 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: $619 in Phuket versus $290 in Tutrakan. 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 $326 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 Tutrakan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tutrakan?
At $909 in Tutrakan versus $1,261 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 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.