🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Tangerang versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,290 in Tangerang versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,794 in Tangerang versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Tangerang costs roughly 37% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Tangerang41% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.57Rp 28.1K
$4.55฿153
-65.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.76Rp 337.1K
$46.18฿1,553
-59.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.49Rp 62.7K
$8.84฿297
-60.52%
Cappuccino
$1.73Rp 31.1K
$3.06฿103
-43.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57Rp 10.2K
$0.73฿24.40
-21.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26Rp 4,642
$0.40฿13.39
-35.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.73Rp 49.1K
$2.43฿81.8
12.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50Rp 63.0K
$3.78฿127
-7.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.18Rp 21.1K
$2.26฿76.0
-47.79%
White Bread(500g)
$1.10Rp 19.8K
$1.81฿60.9
-39.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.94Rp 16.9K
$2.25฿75.8
-58.22%
Eggs
$1.60Rp 28.7K
$2.25฿75.5
-28.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.34Rp 167.9K
$19.51฿656
-52.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12Rp 56.1K
$3.65฿123
-14.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.69Rp 138.2K
$13.05฿439
-41.07%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73Rp 49.1K
$3.23฿109
-15.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45Rp 26.0K
$1.62฿54.4
-10.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25Rp 40.4K
$2.38฿80.1
-5.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.57Rp 28.2K
$2.03฿68.1
-22.66%
Potato(1kg)
$1.46Rp 26.3K
$1.53฿51.6
-4.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.71Rp 48.8K
$1.50฿50.5
80.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.05Rp 18.9K
$0.98฿32.91
7.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46Rp 8,194
$0.52฿17.39
-11.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.83Rp 50.8K
$4.44฿149
-36.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.61Rp 370.4K
$18.32฿616
12.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.32Rp 41.7K
$1.86฿62.7
24.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17Rp 57.0K
$2.68฿90.1
18.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30Rp 5,326
$1.41฿47.46
-78.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.34Rp 149.9K
$11.70฿393
-28.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.56Rp 10.1K
$3.11฿105
-81.99%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.46Rp 8,252
$1.04฿35.06
-55.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.45Rp 44.0K
$14.11฿474
-82.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84Rp 15.2K
$1.31฿44.10
-35.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8KRp 553.7M
$27.8K฿935.4K
10.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.8KRp 500.0M
$33.2K฿1.1M
-16.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.4Rp 1.6M
$122฿4,118
-26.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.55Rp 81.7K
$13.59฿457
-66.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.52Rp 404.6K
$18.70฿629
20.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.44Rp 349.4K
$60.5฿2,034
-67.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.53Rp 207.3K
$16.98฿571
-32.10%
Cinema Ticket
$3.15Rp 56.5K
$9.07฿305
-65.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$103Rp 1.9M
$706฿23.8K
-85.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,952Rp 142.9M
$15.8K฿531.5K
-49.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.03Rp 755.2K
$58.6฿1,969
-28.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.54Rp 548.8K
$35.36฿1,189
-13.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.3Rp 1.3M
$115฿3,883
-37.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9Rp 1.4M
$83.7฿2,816
-7.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$507Rp 9.1M
$626฿21.0K
-18.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$242Rp 4.3M
$445฿15.0K
-45.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,073Rp 19.3M
$2,040฿68.6K
-47.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$647Rp 11.6M
$1,492฿50.2K
-56.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,328Rp 23.9M
$3,483฿117.1K
-61.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$498Rp 8.9M
$2,577฿86.7K
-80.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tangerang
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$274Rp 4.9M
$500฿16.8K
-45.28%
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: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Tangerang and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 83% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $289 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
Is Phuket cheaper than Tangerang?
Tangerang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tangerang or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 83% 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.
What is the rent difference between Tangerang and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $507 in Tangerang versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $103 in Tangerang versus $706 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 Tangerang and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tangerang or in Phuket?
At $787 in Tangerang versus $1,250 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.
Is Tangerang or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Tangerang or Phuket?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Tangerang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.