Cost of Living Comparison Between Tahiti and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tahiti and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,057 in Tahiti versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,204 in Tahiti versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,351 in Tahiti versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Tahiti is roughly 63% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tahiti is 54% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.47 CFPF 1,581

$4.70 ฿153

229.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 CFPF 5,391

$45.37 ฿1,482

16.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.27 CFPF 1,151

$8.43 ฿275

33.69%

Cappuccino

$4.70 CFPF 480

$2.93 ฿95.6

60.41%

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

$2.39 CFPF 245

$0.69 ฿22.40

246.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CFPF 261

$0.37 ฿11.99

589.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 CFPF 584

$2.41 ฿78.6

137.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CFPF 670

$3.72 ฿122

76.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

Eggs

$10.02 CFPF 1,023

$2.21 ฿72.3

353.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$7.79 CFPF 796

$2.08 ฿68.1

274.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 CFPF 194

$1.37 ฿44.79

37.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 CFPF 150

$1.36 ฿44.51

8.09%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$73.0 CFPF 7,460

$122 ฿3,975

-39.99%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$144 CFPF 14.7K

$18.31 ฿598

686.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CFPF 5,535

$60.2 ฿1,967

-10.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 CFPF 1,819

$17.14 ฿560

3.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.78 CFPF 1,305

$8.69 ฿284

47.07%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CFPF 13.9K

$59.5 ฿1,944

128.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.9 CFPF 9,488

$34.77 ฿1,136

167.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 CFPF 17.8K

$115 ฿3,743

51.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 CFPF 14.4K

$83.3 ฿2,720

69.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 CFPF 136.9K

$613 ฿20.0K

118.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 CFPF 119.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

166.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,453 CFPF 250.6K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CFPF 236.9K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

53.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,147 CFPF 219.3K

$508 ฿16.6K

322.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

5.33

-9.76%

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

Last update for Tahiti: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,340 in Tahiti and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tahiti pays 323% 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: $53.0 in Tahiti vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $79.0 vs $293, with Tahiti cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tahiti vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tahiti pays 323% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,340 in Tahiti versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tahiti pay roughly 271% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $53.0 in Tahiti. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,057 in Tahiti, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tahiti. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tahiti, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tahiti 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Tahiti. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.