Cost of Living Comparison Between Tangerang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tangerang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Tangerang versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,285 in Tangerang versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,783 in Tangerang versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Tangerang costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tangerang 41% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$4.70 ฿153

-67.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 Rp 332.9K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-58.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 Rp 61.4K

$8.43 ฿275

-59.19%

Cappuccino

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$2.93 ฿95.6

-41.64%

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

$0.56 Rp 9,957

$0.69 ฿22.40

-18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,047

$0.37 ฿11.99

-24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$2.41 ฿78.6

12.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 Rp 64.7K

$3.72 ฿122

-2.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

$2.23 ฿72.9

-44.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

$1.83 ฿59.8

-39.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$2.17 ฿70.8

-59.91%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

$2.21 ฿72.3

-31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 Rp 167.1K

$19.74 ฿645

-52.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 57.9K

$3.63 ฿119

-10.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 Rp 141.1K

$13.53 ฿442

-41.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 Rp 49.2K

$3.28 ฿107

-15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

$1.61 ฿52.6

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.41 ฿78.6

-8.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$2.08 ฿68.1

-28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$1.53 ฿49.93

-3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 46.6K

$1.48 ฿48.36

76.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.99 ฿32.29

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,203

$0.51 ฿16.67

-9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 Rp 48.5K

$4.41 ฿144

-38.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.08 Rp 376.4K

$19.38 ฿633

8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

$1.78 ฿58.1

24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 Rp 57.5K

$2.71 ฿88.6

18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,298

$1.37 ฿44.79

-78.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.13 Rp 145.2K

$11.39 ฿372

-28.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$3.02 ฿98.6

-81.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,234

$0.99 ฿32.48

-53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.2K

$14.10 ฿461

-81.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.36 ฿44.51

-41.18%

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

$30.7K Rp 548.5M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

8.91%

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

$27.6K Rp 492.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-16.26%

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

$91.9 Rp 1.6M

$122 ฿3,975

-24.47%

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

$4.70 Rp 84.0K

$13.57 ฿443

-65.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.59 Rp 403.3K

$18.31 ฿598

23.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.73 Rp 352.3K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-67.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.60 Rp 207.2K

$17.14 ฿560

-32.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 Rp 55.2K

$8.69 ฿284

-64.44%

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

$104 Rp 1.9M

$693 ฿22.6K

-85.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,016 Rp 143.2M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-48.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.36 Rp 738.7K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-30.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 Rp 547.8K

$34.77 ฿1,136

-11.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 Rp 1.3M

$115 ฿3,743

-38.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$83.3 ฿2,720

-5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.9M

$613 ฿20.0K

-18.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 Rp 4.5M

$437 ฿14.3K

-42.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 Rp 18.9M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-49.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 Rp 11.5M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-57.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 Rp 23.6M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-64.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$514 Rp 9.2M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-80.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 Rp 5.0M

$508 ฿16.6K

-44.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

5.33

79.92%

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

Last update for Tangerang: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Tangerang and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 81% 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: $19.00 in Tangerang vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $293 per month, with Tangerang 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

Tangerang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tangerang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 81% less. 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: $497 in Tangerang versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $104 in Tangerang versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $788 in Tangerang versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tangerang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tangerang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tangerang 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, Tangerang 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 Tangerang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.