Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Purwokerto and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Purwokerto: $497 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Purwokerto, Indonesia
Phuket, Thailand
Purwokerto
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$497
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Purwokerto and in Phuket

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $497 in Purwokerto versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Purwokerto $497
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $824 in Purwokerto versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Purwokerto $824
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,151 in Purwokerto versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Purwokerto $1,151
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Purwokerto costs roughly 61% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Purwokerto 64% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
$4.47 ฿151
-72.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.31 Rp 150.7K
$32.41 ฿1,094
-74.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.23 Rp 58.6K
$8.81 ฿297
-63.34%
Cappuccino
$1.34 Rp 24.4K
$2.83 ฿95.4
-52.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,357
$0.87 ฿29.42
-52.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.18 Rp 3,263
$0.49 ฿16.66
-63.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.20 Rp 39.8K
$2.56 ฿86.3
-14.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 Rp 54.6K
$3.68 ฿124
-18.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 Rp 19.4K
$1.66 ฿56.0
-35.54%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 Rp 14.3K
$1.46 ฿49.32
-45.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
$1.50 ฿50.5
-46.00%
Eggs
$1.47 Rp 26.7K
$2.09 ฿70.5
-29.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.02 Rp 127.3K
$19.07 ฿643
-63.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.81 Rp 51.0K
$3.30 ฿111
-14.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.04 Rp 127.7K
$10.91 ฿368
-35.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.21 Rp 40.2K
$2.93 ฿98.9
-24.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 Rp 19.7K
$1.69 ฿57.0
-35.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 Rp 27.4K
$2.25 ฿75.8
-32.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.87 Rp 15.9K
$2.08 ฿70.1
-58.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 Rp 19.4K
$1.51 ฿51.0
-29.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 34.5K
$1.38 ฿46.54
37.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 Rp 11.8K
$1.07 ฿35.97
-39.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 Rp 6,195
$0.52 ฿17.51
-34.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 Rp 42.9K
$4.20 ฿142
-43.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.23 Rp 385.0K
$18.79 ฿634
12.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 Rp 32.9K
$1.82 ฿61.5
-0.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 Rp 57.1K
$2.84 ฿95.9
10.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 Rp 3,621
$1.45 ฿49.00
-86.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.72 Rp 212.5K
$56.7 ฿1,912
-79.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 Rp 9,378
$3.02 ฿102
-82.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 Rp 6,210
$1.02 ฿34.34
-66.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 Rp 42.1K
$3.69 ฿125
-37.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 Rp 16.1K
$1.47 ฿49.78
-39.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K Rp 378.5M
$26.8K ฿903.7K
-22.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 584.6M
$26.7K ฿900.8K
20.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$33.11 Rp 600.6K
$96.4 ฿3,252
-65.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.72 Rp 49.4K
$11.26 ฿380
-75.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.01 Rp 344.7K
$16.85 ฿569
12.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.64 Rp 356.2K
$67.2 ฿2,269
-70.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.88 Rp 197.3K
$10.73 ฿362
1.40%
Cinema Ticket
$2.53 Rp 45.9K
$7.50 ฿253
-66.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$92.9 Rp 1.7M
$476 ฿16.1K
-80.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,053 Rp 127.9M
$11.3K ฿380.1K
-37.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.47 Rp 697.8K
$62.4 ฿2,105
-38.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.86 Rp 559.8K
$28.41 ฿959
8.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.4 Rp 1.3M
$94.3 ฿3,182
-23.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.8 Rp 1.2M
$85.8 ฿2,896
-19.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$140 Rp 2.5M
$716 ฿24.2K
-80.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$69.1 Rp 1.3M
$491 ฿16.6K
-85.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$584 Rp 10.6M
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-69.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$250 Rp 4.5M
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-82.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,376 Rp 25.0M
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-67.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$272 Rp 4.9M
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-91.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Purwokerto
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$117 Rp 2.1M
$502 ฿17.0K
-76.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.45
5.57
51.71%

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

Last update for Purwokerto: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Purwokerto
$184
Phuket
$266 45.1% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Purwokerto
$95
Phuket
$122 28.7% $27
Accommodation & Living
Purwokerto
$69
Phuket
$491 610% $422
Eating Out
Purwokerto
$55
Phuket
$122 121% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Purwokerto
$55
Phuket
$124 127% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Purwokerto
$25
Phuket
$82 233% $58
Getting Around
Purwokerto
$15
Phuket
$71 379% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $140 in Purwokerto and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 4.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $8 in Purwokerto vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $266 per month, with Purwokerto cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Purwokerto
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
13:09 1:09 PM
13:09 1:09 PM
Same time as Purwokerto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
292,782
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,252 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Purwokerto Phuket 2,080 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Purwokerto
  • Phuket

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
Purwokerto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Purwokerto cheaper than Phuket?
Purwokerto is about 61% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Purwokerto or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Purwokerto. 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: $140 in Purwokerto versus $716 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 in Purwokerto versus $476 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 45% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Purwokerto or in Phuket?
At $497 in Purwokerto versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 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 it better to live in Purwokerto or in Phuket?
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.
Which city is safer, Purwokerto or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Purwokerto and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Purwokerto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% 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

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