Cost of Living Comparison Between South Tangerang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between South Tangerang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $684 in South Tangerang versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,040 in South Tangerang versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in South Tangerang versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in South Tangerang costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: South Tangerang 50% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.4K

$4.41 ฿147

-62.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.36 Rp 254.2K

$32.26 ฿1,077

-55.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

$8.93 ฿298

-62.71%

Cappuccino

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

$2.90 ฿96.6

-45.52%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.88 ฿29.38

-47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,056

$0.48 ฿16.06

-52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.0K

$2.35 ฿78.5

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 54.8K

$3.72 ฿124

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

$1.87 ฿62.3

-33.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.47 ฿48.94

-31.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$1.55 ฿51.8

-44.52%

Eggs

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$2.10 ฿70.1

-19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 Rp 130.2K

$19.59 ฿654

-62.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 55.6K

$3.42 ฿114

-8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 Rp 137.9K

$11.38 ฿380

-31.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

$2.98 ฿99.6

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

$1.68 ฿56.2

-26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 Rp 36.3K

$2.21 ฿73.7

-7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$2.16 ฿72.1

-41.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 24.0K

$1.52 ฿50.9

-10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

$1.34 ฿44.67

62.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.13 ฿37.67

-28.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,530

$0.55 ฿18.24

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

$4.26 ฿142

-35.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 Rp 375.4K

$19.09 ฿637

11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 Rp 35.2K

$1.78 ฿59.4

11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$2.78 ฿92.9

13.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 Rp 3,880

$2.23 ฿74.4

-90.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.26 Rp 305.6K

$22.74 ฿759

-24.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,710

$3.03 ฿101

-83.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 Rp 5,732

$1.02 ฿34.15

-68.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$3.89 ฿130

-41.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

$1.49 ฿49.77

-47.65%

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

$22.7K Rp 402.1M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-14.56%

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

$33.5K Rp 594.0M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

24.11%

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

$53.6 Rp 948.9K

$102 ฿3,420

-47.70%

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

$6.11 Rp 108.3K

$11.33 ฿378

-46.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 Rp 347.5K

$17.40 ฿581

12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.60 Rp 471.0K

$52.1 ฿1,738

-48.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.67 Rp 171.3K

$11.07 ฿370

-12.65%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 Rp 51.3K

$7.69 ฿257

-62.29%

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

$120 Rp 2.1M

$561 ฿18.7K

-78.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,452 Rp 149.7M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-26.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.27 Rp 713.0K

$63.0 ฿2,104

-36.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.41 Rp 520.8K

$29.52 ฿986

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$98.0 ฿3,272

-24.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

$88.5 ฿2,954

-17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$738 ฿24.6K

-71.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$482 ฿16.1K

-64.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 Rp 6.7M

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-82.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 Rp 5.5M

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-74.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 Rp 21.2M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-66.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 Rp 17.2M

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-62.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 Rp 7.9M

$494 ฿16.5K

-9.68%

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 South Tangerang: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in South Tangerang and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 11% 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 South Tangerang vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $274 per month, with South Tangerang 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

South Tangerang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Tangerang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% 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: $214 in South Tangerang versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $120 in South Tangerang versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $684 in South Tangerang versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in South Tangerang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes South Tangerang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, South Tangerang 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, South Tangerang 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 South Tangerang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.