Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Samarinda versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Samarinda versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,417 in Samarinda versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Samarinda costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samarinda 51% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$4.41 ฿147

-62.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

$32.26 ฿1,077

-55.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

$8.93 ฿298

-62.71%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

$2.90 ฿96.6

-47.93%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,041

$0.88 ฿29.38

-48.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,096

$0.48 ฿16.06

-52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

$2.35 ฿78.5

2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

$3.72 ฿124

-4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.87 ฿62.3

-42.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

$1.47 ฿48.94

-41.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

$1.55 ฿51.8

-57.42%

Eggs

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

$2.10 ฿70.1

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$19.59 ฿654

-61.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

$3.42 ฿114

4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

$11.38 ฿380

-10.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

$2.98 ฿99.6

72.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.68 ฿56.2

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$2.21 ฿73.7

-49.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$2.16 ฿72.1

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

$1.52 ฿50.9

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$1.34 ฿44.67

41.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$1.13 ฿37.67

-35.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,912

$0.55 ฿18.24

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$4.26 ฿142

-50.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

$19.09 ฿637

9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$1.78 ฿59.4

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.78 ฿92.9

6.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,563

$2.23 ฿74.4

-86.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,867

$3.03 ฿101

-83.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,160

$1.02 ฿34.15

-71.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$3.89 ฿130

-24.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.49 ฿49.77

-45.64%

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

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-1.37%

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

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

13.26%

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

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

$102 ฿3,420

-32.12%

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

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

$11.33 ฿378

-57.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

$17.40 ฿581

13.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

$52.1 ฿1,738

-61.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

$11.07 ฿370

-33.06%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

$7.69 ฿257

-63.98%

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

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$561 ฿18.7K

-82.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-41.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

$63.0 ฿2,104

-34.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

$29.52 ฿986

1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$98.0 ฿3,272

-23.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$88.5 ฿2,954

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$738 ฿24.6K

-73.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$482 ฿16.1K

-71.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 Rp 8.5M

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-77.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-70.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-68.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 Rp 12.2M

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-73.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 Rp 6.0M

$494 ฿16.5K

-31.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

5.57

69.84%

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

Last update for Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Samarinda and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 45% 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: $14.00 in Samarinda vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $274 per month, with Samarinda 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

Samarinda vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samarinda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Samarinda versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.8 in Samarinda versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Samarinda – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $668 in Samarinda versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samarinda but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samarinda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samarinda 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, Samarinda 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.

Expats usually find Samarinda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.