Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarhuna and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarhuna and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $384 in Tarhuna versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $578 in Tarhuna versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $772 in Tarhuna versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Tarhuna costs roughly 70% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tarhuna 71% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.49 LYD 28.54
$4.70 ฿154
-4.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.08 LYD 115
$45.37 ฿1,483
-60.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.64 LYD 23.15
$8.43 ฿276
-56.82%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.53 LYD 3.39
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 LYD 4.58
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.49 LYD 3.10
$2.93 ฿95.7
-83.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 LYD 2.89
$0.69 ฿22.42
-34.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 LYD 0.75
$0.37 ฿12.00
-67.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.41 ฿78.7
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.72 ฿122
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 LYD 6.50
$2.23 ฿73.0
-54.26%
White Bread (500g)
$0.21 LYD 1.33
$1.83 ฿59.9
-88.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 LYD 7.59
$2.17 ฿70.9
-45.16%
Eggs
$1.48 LYD 9.44
$2.21 ฿72.4
-33.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.87 LYD 30.96
$19.74 ฿645
-75.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 LYD 21.02
$3.63 ฿119
-9.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.27 LYD 65.3
$13.53 ฿442
-24.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 LYD 13.45
$3.28 ฿107
-35.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 LYD 8.50
$1.61 ฿52.7
-16.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.76 LYD 4.86
$2.41 ฿78.7
-68.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 LYD 3.60
$2.08 ฿68.1
-72.60%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 LYD 4.14
$1.53 ฿49.97
-57.52%
Onion (1kg)
$0.52 LYD 3.34
$1.48 ฿48.41
-64.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 LYD 2.66
$0.99 ฿32.32
-57.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 LYD 1.27
$0.51 ฿16.68
-60.78%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.24 LYD 7.89
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 LYD 4.31
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 LYD 4.33
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.86 LYD 11.80
$4.41 ฿144
-57.82%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$19.38 ฿634
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.78 ฿58.1
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.71 ฿88.7
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.37 ฿44.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.39 ฿372
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.96 LYD 6.11
$3.02 ฿98.7
-68.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 LYD 5.44
$0.99 ฿32.51
-13.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.72 LYD 30.03
$14.10 ฿461
-66.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.03 LYD 0.20
$1.36 ฿44.55
-97.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.9K LYD 88.1K
$28.2K ฿921.9K
-50.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.2K LYD 103.2K
$32.9K ฿1.1M
-50.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.24 LYD 205
$122 ฿3,978
-73.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.04 LYD 51.1
$13.57 ฿444
-40.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.74 LYD 145
$18.31 ฿599
24.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$60.2 ฿1,969
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14 ฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.47 LYD 28.44
$8.69 ฿284
-48.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$53.2 LYD 339
$693 ฿22.7K
-92.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$913 LYD 5,805
$15.7K ฿512.8K
-94.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.46 LYD 136
$59.5 ฿1,946
-63.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.02 LYD 223
$34.77 ฿1,137
0.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$50.2 LYD 319
$115 ฿3,746
-56.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.0 LYD 349
$83.3 ฿2,723
-34.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$91.8 LYD 584
$613 ฿20.0K
-85.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$63.4 LYD 403
$437 ฿14.3K
-85.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,094 ฿68.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,509 ฿49.3K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,749 ฿122.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,616 ฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tarhuna
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$508 ฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.5
5.33
228.33%

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

Last update for Tarhuna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.8 in Tarhuna and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Tarhuna vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $293 per month, with Tarhuna 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
Tarhuna vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tarhuna?
Tarhuna is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 230% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $576 in Tarhuna and $1,898 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.
What is the rent difference between Tarhuna and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $91.8 in Tarhuna versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $53.2 in Tarhuna versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Tarhuna or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Tarhuna – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Tarhuna or Phuket?
At $384 in Tarhuna versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tarhuna but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tarhuna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tarhuna or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Tarhuna 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, Tarhuna or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tarhuna 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 Tarhuna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 230% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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