🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $610 in Purwokerto versus $1,264 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $944 in Purwokerto versus $2,256 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,278 in Purwokerto versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Purwokerto costs roughly 52% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Purwokerto54% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.30Rp 23.5K
$4.48฿150
-70.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.99Rp 162.4K
$45.59฿1,521
-80.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.36Rp 60.7K
$8.76฿292
-61.64%
Cappuccino
$1.38Rp 25.0K
$2.97฿99.0
-53.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35Rp 6,357
$0.69฿22.90
-49.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17Rp 3,108
$0.39฿13.04
-56.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.75Rp 31.5K
$2.53฿84.4
-30.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63Rp 65.5K
$3.75฿125
-3.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17Rp 21.1K
$2.15฿71.6
-45.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.11Rp 20.1K
$1.82฿60.6
-39.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.80Rp 14.4K
$2.18฿72.9
-63.30%
Eggs
$1.52Rp 27.4K
$2.25฿75.0
-32.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.15Rp 165.3K
$20.00฿667
-54.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01Rp 54.4K
$3.63฿121
-17.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.05Rp 145.4K
$13.56฿452
-40.63%
Apples(1kg)
$2.38Rp 43.0K
$3.24฿108
-26.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.33Rp 24.0K
$1.64฿54.6
-18.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64Rp 29.5K
$2.33฿77.8
-29.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.55Rp 28.0K
$2.07฿69.1
-25.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.48Rp 26.7K
$1.55฿51.6
-4.52%
Onion(1kg)
$2.70Rp 48.7K
$1.46฿48.54
84.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.91Rp 16.4K
$0.98฿32.86
-7.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32Rp 5,858
$0.48฿16.09
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.52Rp 45.5K
$4.35฿145
-42.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$21.90Rp 395.3K
$18.57฿620
17.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10Rp 37.9K
$1.86฿61.9
12.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46Rp 62.4K
$2.65฿88.6
30.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26Rp 4,719
$1.42฿47.28
-81.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.88Rp 178.3K
$11.57฿386
-14.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.75Rp 13.5K
$3.17฿106
-76.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.76Rp 13.8K
$1.03฿34.41
-26.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.58Rp 46.5K
$13.89฿463
-81.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.63Rp 11.4K
$1.34฿44.84
-52.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2KRp 437.8M
$27.8K฿927.1K
-12.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5KRp 459.9M
$33.4K฿1.1M
-23.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.42Rp 801.9K
$123฿4,105
-63.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.45Rp 80.4K
$13.77฿459
-67.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.78Rp 411.2K
$18.33฿611
24.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.32Rp 330.7K
$60.7฿2,025
-69.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.24Rp 112.6K
$17.16฿573
-63.64%
Cinema Ticket
$2.71Rp 48.9K
$8.87฿296
-69.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$93.4Rp 1.7M
$688฿22.9K
-86.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,651Rp 138.1M
$15.8K฿526.4K
-51.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.64Rp 751.8K
$59.3฿1,978
-29.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.25Rp 546.1K
$34.69฿1,157
-12.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$58.2Rp 1.1M
$115฿3,843
-49.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.3Rp 1.2M
$83.8฿2,794
-22.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$258Rp 4.7M
$621฿20.7K
-58.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$160Rp 2.9M
$446฿14.9K
-64.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577Rp 10.4M
$2,034฿67.8K
-71.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$335Rp 6.1M
$1,496฿49.9K
-77.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,367Rp 24.7M
$3,455฿115.3K
-60.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$279Rp 5.0M
$2,531฿84.4K
-89.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$118Rp 2.1M
$494฿16.5K
-76.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
5.33
71.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Purwokerto: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Purwokerto and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 317% 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: $9.00 in Purwokerto vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $291 per month, with Purwokerto 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
Purwokerto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Purwokerto?
Purwokerto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Purwokerto or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 317% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Purwokerto and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $258 in Purwokerto versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $93.4 in Purwokerto versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Purwokerto and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% 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 Purwokerto or in Phuket?
At $610 in Purwokerto versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Purwokerto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Purwokerto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Purwokerto or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Purwokerto 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, Purwokerto or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Purwokerto and Phuket 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 Purwokerto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Purwokerto vs other spots: cost of living compared