Cost of Living Comparison Between TamΓ‘si and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between TamΓ‘si and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,025 in TamΓ‘si versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,585 in TamΓ‘si versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,145 in TamΓ‘si versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in TamΓ‘si costs roughly 19% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: TamΓ‘si 24% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67 FtΒ 2,365
$4.56 ΰΈΏ150
68.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.89 FtΒ 14.2K
$46.63 ΰΈΏ1,535
-1.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.63 FtΒ 1,736
$8.47 ΰΈΏ279
-33.53%
Cappuccino
$2.06 FtΒ 636
$3.03 ΰΈΏ99.7
-32.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 FtΒ 460
$0.69 ΰΈΏ22.69
115.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 FtΒ 428
$0.37 ΰΈΏ12.04
275.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 FtΒ 700
$2.49 ΰΈΏ81.9
-8.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 FtΒ 653
$3.66 ΰΈΏ120
-42.08%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 FtΒ 324
$2.18 ΰΈΏ71.8
-51.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 FtΒ 494
$1.90 ΰΈΏ62.6
-15.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 FtΒ 364
$2.20 ΰΈΏ72.4
-46.36%
Eggs
$2.04 FtΒ 628
$2.22 ΰΈΏ73.2
-8.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 FtΒ 2,375
$19.99 ΰΈΏ658
-61.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 FtΒ 1,744
$3.66 ΰΈΏ121
54.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.26 FtΒ 3,473
$13.25 ΰΈΏ436
-15.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.37 FtΒ 422
$3.23 ΰΈΏ106
-57.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 FtΒ 434
$1.70 ΰΈΏ55.9
-17.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 FtΒ 538
$2.39 ΰΈΏ78.8
-26.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.77 FtΒ 855
$2.08 ΰΈΏ68.4
33.17%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 FtΒ 296
$1.59 ΰΈΏ52.4
-39.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 FtΒ 366
$1.48 ΰΈΏ48.83
-19.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 FtΒ 441
$1.03 ΰΈΏ33.90
38.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 FtΒ 148
$0.52 ΰΈΏ17.01
-7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.36 FtΒ 1,962
$4.25 ΰΈΏ140
49.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.16 FtΒ 1,284
$18.79 ΰΈΏ618
-77.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 FtΒ 285
$1.76 ΰΈΏ57.8
-47.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 FtΒ 450
$2.76 ΰΈΏ90.8
-47.10%
🚌 Getting Around
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 FtΒ 364
$1.36 ΰΈΏ44.79
-13.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.37 FtΒ 7,823
$11.36 ΰΈΏ374
123.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.88 FtΒ 887
$3.14 ΰΈΏ103
-8.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.29 FtΒ 398
$1.04 ΰΈΏ34.10
24.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.46 FtΒ 5,385
$13.77 ΰΈΏ453
26.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 FtΒ 519
$1.34 ΰΈΏ44.26
25.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K FtΒ 8.1M
$27.7K ΰΈΏ911.1K
-5.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K FtΒ 7.8M
$33.9K ΰΈΏ1.1M
-25.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 FtΒ 32.3K
$124 ΰΈΏ4,069
-15.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.87 FtΒ 7,669
$13.52 ΰΈΏ445
83.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.41 FtΒ 4,136
$18.69 ΰΈΏ615
-28.25%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.78 FtΒ 14.4K
$61.8 ΰΈΏ2,035
-24.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.60 FtΒ 5,119
$17.25 ΰΈΏ568
-3.77%
Cinema Ticket
$6.98 FtΒ 2,151
$9.14 ΰΈΏ301
-23.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$223 FtΒ 68.7K
$703 ΰΈΏ23.1K
-68.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,210 FtΒ 1.9M
$15.9K ΰΈΏ522.5K
-60.87%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.9 FtΒ 25.6K
$59.5 ΰΈΏ1,958
39.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.76 FtΒ 9,177
$35.07 ΰΈΏ1,154
-15.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.5 FtΒ 21.4K
$115 ΰΈΏ3,795
-39.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.1 FtΒ 17.9K
$84.1 ΰΈΏ2,767
-30.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 FtΒ 139.0K
$619 ΰΈΏ20.4K
-27.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$339 FtΒ 104.6K
$433 ΰΈΏ14.2K
-21.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$633 FtΒ 195.3K
$2,062 ΰΈΏ67.9K
-69.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$539 FtΒ 166.3K
$1,511 ΰΈΏ49.7K
-64.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,333 FtΒ 1.0M
$3,646 ΰΈΏ120.0K
-8.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,104 FtΒ 648.9K
$2,626 ΰΈΏ86.4K
-19.85%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
TamΓ‘si
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,251 FtΒ 385.6K
$507 ΰΈΏ16.7K
146.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
5.33
9.76%

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

Last update for TamΓ‘si: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in TamΓ‘si and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

TamΓ‘si pays 147% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in TamΓ‘si vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $293 per month, with TamΓ‘si 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
TamΓ‘si vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than TamΓ‘si?
TamΓ‘si is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: TamΓ‘si or Phuket?
TamΓ‘si pays 147% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between TamΓ‘si and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $451 in TamΓ‘si versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $223 in TamΓ‘si versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in TamΓ‘si and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for TamΓ‘si or Phuket?
At $1,025 in TamΓ‘si versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in TamΓ‘si but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes TamΓ‘si the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is TamΓ‘si or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, TamΓ‘si 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, TamΓ‘si or Phuket?
Safety-wise, TamΓ‘si 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 TamΓ‘si gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

TamΓ‘si vs other spots: cost of living compared

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