Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Tacloban versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,214 in Tacloban versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,583 in Tacloban versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Tacloban costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tacloban 37% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 ₱268

$4.48 ฿150

-2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.42 ₱1,067

$45.59 ฿1,521

-61.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱167

$8.76 ฿292

-68.95%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱162

$2.97 ฿99.0

-10.77%

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

$0.76 ₱46.81

$0.69 ฿22.90

10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.36

$0.39 ฿13.04

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ₱95.6

$2.53 ฿84.4

-38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱134

$3.75 ฿125

-41.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 ₱140

$2.15 ฿71.6

6.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ₱96.5

$1.82 ฿60.6

-13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱59.8

$2.18 ฿72.9

-55.05%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱146

$2.25 ฿75.0

5.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 ₱778

$20.00 ฿667

-36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ₱290

$3.63 ฿121

30.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 ₱485

$13.56 ฿452

-41.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 ₱215

$3.24 ฿108

8.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ₱74.4

$1.64 ฿54.6

-25.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱202

$2.33 ฿77.8

41.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱107

$2.07 ฿69.1

-15.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 ₱162

$1.55 ฿51.6

70.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₱152

$1.46 ฿48.54

70.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ₱57.4

$0.98 ฿32.86

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.48 ฿16.09

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₱134

$4.35 ฿145

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 ₱381

$18.57 ฿620

-66.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.0

$1.86 ฿61.9

-34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₱141

$2.65 ฿88.6

-13.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₱11.05

$1.42 ฿47.28

-87.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.5

$3.17 ฿106

-72.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ₱10.57

$1.03 ฿34.41

-83.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₱159

$13.89 ฿463

-81.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.9

$1.34 ฿44.84

-18.66%

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

$30.2K ₱1.8M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

8.63%

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

$27.3K ₱1.7M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-18.23%

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

$97.3 ₱5,955

$123 ฿4,105

-20.94%

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

$33.84 ₱2,071

$13.77 ฿459

145.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.29 ₱1,793

$18.33 ฿611

59.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.44 ₱2,108

$60.7 ฿2,025

-43.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.35 ₱266

$17.16 ฿573

-74.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.91 ₱362

$8.87 ฿296

-33.37%

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

$236 ₱14.4K

$688 ฿22.9K

-65.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,840 ₱235.1K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-75.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.59 ₱2,852

$59.3 ฿1,978

-21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.58 ₱1,382

$34.69 ฿1,157

-34.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 ₱4,589

$115 ฿3,843

-34.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 ₱3,354

$83.8 ฿2,794

-34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 ₱15.0K

$621 ฿20.7K

-60.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$446 ฿14.9K

-52.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.0K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-60.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₱14.4K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-84.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 ₱144.9K

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-31.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$968 ₱59.3K

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-61.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 ₱21.5K

$494 ฿16.5K

-28.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

50.09%

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

Last update for Tacloban: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Tacloban and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 40% 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: $17.00 in Tacloban vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $291 per month, with Tacloban 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

Tacloban vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacloban is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $245 in Tacloban versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $236 in Tacloban versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacloban – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $845 in Tacloban versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacloban but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tacloban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tacloban 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, Tacloban 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 Tacloban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.