Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarapoto and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarapoto and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $31.71 in Tarapoto versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $48.00 in Tarapoto versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $65.2 in Tarapoto versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Tarapoto costs roughly 97% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tarapoto 98% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 PEN 9.48

$4.63 ฿151

-41.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

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

$0.80 PEN 2.82

$0.74 ฿24.11

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 PEN 9.67

$3.61 ฿117

-23.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

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)

$125 ฿4,063

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

$13.57 ฿441

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

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

$698 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Tarapoto: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

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

Tarapoto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tarapoto is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 3784% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $47.57 in Tarapoto and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

At $31.71 in Tarapoto versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tarapoto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tarapoto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tarapoto 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, Tarapoto 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 Tarapoto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3784% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.