Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Urmia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Urmia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $431 in Urmia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $731 in Urmia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,031 in Urmia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 193% more expensive than Urmia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Urmia 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.68 $3.68

27.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$16.96 $16.96

167.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.42 $4.42

90.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 $1.22

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.21 $1.21

142.15%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.90 $0.90

-23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.57 $0.57

-35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.59 $0.59

277.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.72 $0.72

154.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.33 $2.33

-6.87%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.13 $1.13

95.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.40 $3.40

480.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.57 $2.57

41.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.43 $6.43

110.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.93 $0.93

252.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.43 $1.43

12.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.77 $0.77

212.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.67 $0.67

210.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.48 $0.48

218.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.52 $0.52

184.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.55 $0.55

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.25 $0.25

104.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.65 $0.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.18 $1.18

273.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.17 $0.17

705.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$9.97 $9.97

14.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.38 $0.38

694.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.24 $0.24

312.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.97 $1.97

615.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.77 $0.77

76.62%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$75.8K $75.8K

-62.79%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$44.3K $44.3K

-25.70%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$15.59 $15.59

680.63%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$2.04 $2.04

565.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$5.89 $5.89

210.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$22.31 $22.31

169.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$5.60 $5.60

206.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$1.54 $1.54

464.29%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$117 $117

494.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,938 $1,938

709.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$22.41 $22.41

165.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$24.94 $24.94

39.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$110 $110

4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$32.46 $32.46

156.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$172 $172

255.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$129 $129

239.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$319 $319

557.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$271 $271

457.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$690 $690

443.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$588 $588

345.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$192 $192

164.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-74.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Urmia: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $172 in Urmia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 165% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in Urmia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $97.0 per month, with Urmia 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 Urmia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Urmia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 165% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $172 in Urmia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $117 in Urmia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 203% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $431 in Urmia versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Urmia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Urmia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Urmia 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.

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

Expats usually find Urmia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 193% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.