🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $775 in Tacarigua versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Tacarigua versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,836 in Tacarigua versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Tacarigua costs roughly 37% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Tacarigua43% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.21TTD 68.7
$4.41฿147
131.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.8TTD 402
$32.26฿1,077
85.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.95TTD 53.5
$8.93฿298
-10.97%
Cappuccino
$3.77TTD 25.35
$2.90฿96.6
30.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00TTD 6.70
$0.88฿29.38
13.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72TTD 4.85
$0.48฿16.06
50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.89TTD 12.72
$2.35฿78.5
-19.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57TTD 17.29
$3.72฿124
-30.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.99TTD 13.37
$1.87฿62.3
6.42%
White Bread(500g)
$2.24TTD 15.07
$1.47฿48.94
52.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.90TTD 19.49
$1.55฿51.8
87.10%
Eggs
$3.78TTD 25.40
$2.10฿70.1
80.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.73TTD 45.27
$19.59฿654
-65.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.96TTD 67.0
$3.42฿114
191.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.75TTD 58.9
$11.38฿380
-23.11%
Apples(1kg)
$5.35TTD 35.98
$2.98฿99.6
79.53%
Banana(1kg)
$2.47TTD 16.63
$1.68฿56.2
47.02%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.77TTD 25.39
$2.21฿73.7
70.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.37TTD 29.39
$2.16฿72.1
102.31%
Potato(1kg)
$0.76TTD 5.12
$1.52฿50.9
-50.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.70TTD 4.74
$1.34฿44.67
-47.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.43TTD 9.60
$1.13฿37.67
26.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17TTD 7.87
$0.55฿18.24
112.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.75TTD 38.69
$4.26฿142
34.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.39TTD 117
$19.09฿637
-8.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48TTD 9.93
$1.78฿59.4
-16.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97TTD 19.98
$2.78฿92.9
6.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.4
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.85TTD 5.70
$3.03฿101
-71.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.84TTD 5.65
$1.02฿34.15
-17.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.61TTD 98.3
$3.89฿130
275.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.16TTD 7.79
$1.49฿49.77
-22.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.2KTTD 250.4K
$26.6K฿887.3K
40.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.0KTTD 275.7K
$27.0K฿902.2K
51.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.43TTD 299
$102฿3,420
-56.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.99TTD 283
$11.33฿378
270.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.83TTD 308
$17.40฿581
163.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$52.1฿1,738
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿370
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.03TTD 60.8
$7.69฿257
17.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$396TTD 2,664
$561฿18.7K
-29.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KTTD 72.4K
$11.5K฿384.1K
-6.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.6TTD 368
$63.0฿2,104
-13.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.54TTD 253
$29.52฿986
27.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.7TTD 604
$98.0฿3,272
-8.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.4TTD 601
$88.5฿2,954
0.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$738฿24.6K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$482฿16.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,107฿70.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,226฿40.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,617฿120.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tacarigua
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.75
5.57
3.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tacarigua: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $60.0 in Tacarigua vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $274 per month, with Phuket 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
Tacarigua vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tacarigua?
Tacarigua is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,163 in Tacarigua and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $396 in Tacarigua versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Tacarigua or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Tacarigua – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Tacarigua or in Phuket?
At $775 in Tacarigua versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tacarigua but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tacarigua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tacarigua or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Tacarigua 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, Tacarigua or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tacarigua 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 Tacarigua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.