Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $644 in Semarang versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,036 in Semarang versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Semarang versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Semarang costs roughly 48% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Semarang 52% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$4.55 ฿153

-60.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.50 Rp 224.6K

$46.18 ฿1,553

-72.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$8.84 ฿297

-58.82%

Cappuccino

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

$3.06 ฿103

-52.29%

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

$0.48 Rp 8,703

$0.73 ฿24.40

-34.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,829

$0.40 ฿13.39

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

$2.43 ฿81.8

-17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$3.78 ฿127

-23.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

$2.26 ฿76.0

-52.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

$1.81 ฿60.9

-44.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$2.25 ฿75.8

-61.78%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

$2.25 ฿75.5

-29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 Rp 110.1K

$19.51 ฿656

-68.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

$3.65 ฿123

-22.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 Rp 152.4K

$13.05 ฿439

-35.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 Rp 46.6K

$3.23 ฿109

-19.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

$1.62 ฿54.4

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

$2.38 ฿80.1

-18.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$2.03 ฿68.1

-22.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

$1.53 ฿51.6

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

$1.50 ฿50.5

24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.98 ฿32.91

-11.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,269

$0.52 ฿17.39

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 41.2K

$4.44 ฿149

-48.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 Rp 243.1K

$18.32 ฿616

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

$1.86 ฿62.7

37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.68 ฿90.1

5.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,710

$1.41 ฿47.46

-81.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.96 Rp 232.9K

$11.70 ฿393

10.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$3.11 ฿105

-72.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,572

$1.04 ฿35.06

-70.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

$14.11 ฿474

-79.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.31 ฿44.10

-38.93%

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

$24.8K Rp 445.4M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-10.90%

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

$30.4K Rp 546.4M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-8.46%

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

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$122 ฿4,118

-24.28%

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

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$13.59 ฿457

-79.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.45 Rp 421.5K

$18.70 ฿629

25.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.69 Rp 425.7K

$60.5 ฿2,034

-60.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

$16.98 ฿571

-69.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

$9.07 ฿305

-66.37%

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

$44.58 Rp 801.1K

$706 ฿23.8K

-93.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,388 Rp 42.9M

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-84.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.26 Rp 651.6K

$58.6 ฿1,969

-38.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 Rp 580.6K

$35.36 ฿1,189

-8.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

$115 ฿3,883

-41.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.45 Rp 780.8K

$83.7 ฿2,816

-48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.6M

$626 ฿21.0K

-59.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$445 ฿15.0K

-65.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.8M

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-73.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 Rp 7.5M

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-71.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,179 Rp 21.2M

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-66.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-78.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 Rp 3.4M

$500 ฿16.8K

-62.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

5.33

46.90%

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

Last update for Semarang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Semarang and $626 in Phuket. 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: $12.00 in Semarang vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $289 per month, with Semarang 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

Semarang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Semarang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 165% 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: $255 in Semarang versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $44.58 in Semarang versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $644 in Semarang versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Semarang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Semarang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Semarang 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, Semarang 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 Semarang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.