Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tagum City and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Tagum City: $429 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Tagum City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$429

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tagum City and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tagum City and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $429 in Tagum City versus $1,278 in Phuket.

Tagum City $429
Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $532 in Tagum City versus $2,216 in Phuket.

Tagum City $532
Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $635 in Tagum City versus $3,154 in Phuket.

Tagum City $635
Phuket $3,154

Living in Tagum City costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tagum City 69% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 ₱354

$4.47 ฿151

24.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.74 ₱812

$32.41 ฿1,093

-60.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ₱319

$8.81 ฿297

-43.25%

Cappuccino

$2.21 ₱141

$2.83 ฿95.4

-21.91%

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 ₱121

$2.56 ฿86.3

-25.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₱87.6

$3.68 ฿124

-62.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱105

$1.66 ฿55.9

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.31

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Eggs

$1.85 ₱118

$2.09 ฿70.5

-11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱486

$10.91 ฿368

-30.06%

Apples (1kg)

$6.22 ₱397

$2.93 ฿98.9

112.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.52

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₱86.9

$1.82 ฿61.5

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.95

$1.45 ฿48.98

-84.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.4

$1.47 ฿49.76

-10.88%

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

$26.8K ฿903.4K

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

$26.7K ฿900.5K

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

$54.2 ₱3,452

$96.4 ฿3,251

-43.78%

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

$7.88 ₱502

$11.26 ฿380

-30.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₱1,734

$16.85 ฿568

61.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.49 ₱1,496

$67.2 ฿2,268

-65.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 ₱207

$7.50 ฿253

-56.67%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,181

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,895

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₱10.1K

$716 ฿24.2K

-77.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,998

$491 ฿16.6K

-74.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₱20.2K

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 ₱12.9K

$502 ฿16.9K

-59.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Tagum City: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tagum City

–

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Groceries & Markets

Tagum City

–

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tagum City

–

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Tagum City

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Eating Out

Tagum City

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Tagum City

–

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Getting Around

Tagum City

–

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Tagum City and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 2.5 times 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: $13 in Tagum City vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $85 vs $266 per month, with Tagum City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Tagum City

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

06:35 6:35 AM

05:35 5:35 AM

1 h behind Tagum City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

296,202

79,308

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 63.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.15 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tagum City Phuket 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Tagum City
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Tagum City vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagum City is about 66% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Tagum City. 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: $158 in Tagum City versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 214% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tagum City – a meal for two runs $13 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $429 in Tagum City versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Tagum City but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tagum City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tagum City and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Tagum City wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.