🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $773 in South Tangerang versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,141 in South Tangerang versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,510 in South Tangerang versus $3,329 in Phuket.
🙂Living in South Tangerang costs roughly 39% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: South Tangerang42% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.53Rp 45.1K
$4.70฿153
-46.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.39Rp 328.4K
$45.37฿1,482
-59.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.44Rp 61.5K
$8.43฿275
-59.19%
Cappuccino
$1.97Rp 35.2K
$2.93฿95.6
-32.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49Rp 8,669
$0.69฿22.40
-28.99%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28Rp 5,060
$0.37฿11.99
-24.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.79Rp 49.9K
$2.41฿78.6
15.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22Rp 75.4K
$3.72฿122
13.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.26Rp 22.5K
$2.23฿72.9
-43.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.07Rp 19.1K
$1.83฿59.8
-41.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.89Rp 15.9K
$2.17฿70.8
-58.99%
Eggs
$1.62Rp 28.8K
$2.21฿72.3
-26.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.32Rp 112.8K
$19.74฿645
-67.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.25Rp 58.0K
$3.63฿119
-10.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.04Rp 143.5K
$13.53฿442
-40.58%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95Rp 52.6K
$3.28฿107
-10.06%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50Rp 26.8K
$1.61฿52.6
-6.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08Rp 37.1K
$2.41฿78.6
-13.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.55Rp 27.8K
$2.08฿68.1
-25.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.65Rp 29.4K
$1.53฿49.93
7.84%
Onion(1kg)
$2.61Rp 46.6K
$1.48฿48.36
76.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90Rp 16.1K
$0.99฿32.29
-9.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42Rp 7,473
$0.51฿16.67
-17.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.52Rp 45.0K
$4.41฿144
-42.86%
Wine(Bottle)
$21.45Rp 383.0K
$19.38฿633
10.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18Rp 39.0K
$1.78฿58.1
22.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13Rp 55.8K
$2.71฿88.6
15.50%
🚌 Getting Around
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.23Rp 4,116
$1.37฿44.79
-83.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.68Rp 333.7K
$11.39฿372
64.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.56Rp 10.0K
$3.02฿98.6
-81.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35Rp 6,170
$0.99฿32.48
-64.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.57Rp 45.9K
$14.10฿461
-81.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.81Rp 14.4K
$1.36฿44.51
-40.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.1KRp 448.2M
$28.2K฿921.1K
-11.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0KRp 588.6M
$32.9K฿1.1M
0.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$68.5Rp 1.2M
$122฿3,975
-43.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.97Rp 106.7K
$13.57฿443
-56.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.80Rp 425.0K
$18.31฿598
29.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.26Rp 611.9K
$60.2฿1,967
-43.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.44Rp 186.4K
$17.14฿560
-39.09%
Cinema Ticket
$3.13Rp 55.9K
$8.69฿284
-63.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$109Rp 2.0M
$693฿22.6K
-84.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,628Rp 136.2M
$15.7K฿512.3K
-51.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.00Rp 732.2K
$59.5฿1,944
-31.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.56Rp 545.7K
$34.77฿1,136
-12.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$63.2Rp 1.1M
$115฿3,743
-44.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.3Rp 1.2M
$83.3฿2,720
-21.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$310Rp 5.5M
$613฿20.0K
-49.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$242Rp 4.3M
$437฿14.3K
-44.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$528Rp 9.4M
$2,094฿68.4K
-74.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$369Rp 6.6M
$1,509฿49.3K
-75.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,178Rp 21.0M
$3,749฿122.5K
-68.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$770Rp 13.7M
$2,616฿85.4K
-70.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
South Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$445Rp 7.9M
$508฿16.6K
-12.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.59
5.33
79.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for South Tangerang: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in South Tangerang and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 14% 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: $18.00 in South Tangerang vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $293 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
Is Phuket cheaper than South Tangerang?
South Tangerang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: South Tangerang or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 14% less. 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 South Tangerang and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $310 in South Tangerang versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $109 in South Tangerang versus $693 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 South Tangerang and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for South Tangerang or Phuket?
At $773 in South Tangerang versus $1,265 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.
Is South Tangerang or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, South Tangerang or Phuket?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find South Tangerang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
South Tangerang vs other spots: cost of living compared