Cost of Living Comparison Between Tagum City and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tagum City and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $441 in Tagum City versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $543 in Tagum City versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $645 in Tagum City versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Tagum City costs roughly 64% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tagum City 68% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 ₱340

$4.41 ฿147

22.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.66 ₱794

$32.26 ฿1,077

-60.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱309

$8.93 ฿298

-44.79%

Cappuccino

$2.25 ₱141

$2.90 ฿96.6

-22.41%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 ₱118

$2.35 ฿78.5

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₱92.0

$3.72 ฿124

-60.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.87 ฿62.3

-12.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

Eggs

$1.93 ₱121

$2.10 ฿70.1

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 ₱505

$11.38 ฿380

-29.26%

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 ₱406

$2.98 ฿99.6

117.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.6

$1.78 ฿59.4

-25.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.76

$2.23 ฿74.4

-88.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₱75.5

$1.49 ฿49.77

-19.46%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$56.3 ₱3,531

$102 ฿3,420

-45.06%

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

$7.80 ₱489

$11.33 ฿378

-31.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 ₱1,725

$17.40 ฿581

58.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.27 ₱1,523

$52.1 ฿1,738

-53.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 ₱200

$7.69 ฿257

-58.65%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₱9,789

$738 ฿24.6K

-78.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$128 ₱8,005

$482 ฿16.1K

-73.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₱20.0K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-84.83%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 ₱12.9K

$494 ฿16.5K

-58.40%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Tagum City and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 140% 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: $13.00 in Tagum City vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $274 per month, with Tagum City 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

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

Tagum City is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 180% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 140% 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: $156 in Tagum City versus $738 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 $13.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $441 in Tagum City versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 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.

For families, Tagum City 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, Tagum City 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 Tagum City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.