Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarlac City and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarlac City and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $523 in Tarlac City versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $814 in Tarlac City versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,104 in Tarlac City versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Tarlac City costs roughly 58% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tarlac City 62% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ₱122

$4.41 ฿147

-56.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.78 ₱488

$32.26 ฿1,077

-75.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱171

$8.93 ฿298

-69.54%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₱112

$2.90 ฿96.6

-38.28%

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

$0.49 ₱30.77

$0.88 ฿29.38

-44.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.95

$0.48 ฿16.06

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱64.2

$2.35 ฿78.5

-56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱97.7

$3.72 ฿124

-58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ₱101

$1.87 ฿62.3

-13.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱71.9

$1.47 ฿48.94

-21.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.9

$1.55 ฿51.8

-34.19%

Eggs

$1.88 ₱118

$2.10 ฿70.1

-10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.94 ₱310

$19.59 ฿654

-74.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.66 ₱167

$3.42 ฿114

-22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 ₱383

$11.38 ฿380

-46.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$2.98 ฿99.6

-45.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₱99.8

$1.68 ฿56.2

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ₱123

$2.21 ฿73.7

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.2

$2.16 ฿72.1

-51.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$1.52 ฿50.9

14.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ₱76.1

$1.34 ฿44.67

-9.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.25

$1.13 ฿37.67

-46.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.31

$0.55 ฿18.24

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱180

$4.26 ฿142

-32.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.81 ₱239

$19.09 ฿637

-80.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.3

$1.78 ฿59.4

-46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₱96.1

$2.78 ฿92.9

-44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.73

$2.23 ฿74.4

-88.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.21 ₱515

$22.74 ฿759

-63.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.32

$3.03 ฿101

-75.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.70

$1.02 ฿34.15

-75.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₱82.4

$3.89 ฿130

-66.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₱68.0

$1.49 ฿49.77

-27.52%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-19.43%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-28.65%

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

$88.2 ₱5,534

$102 ฿3,420

-13.89%

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

$5.44 ₱341

$11.33 ฿378

-51.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.40 ₱1,468

$17.40 ฿581

34.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.11 ₱2,516

$52.1 ฿1,738

-22.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.16 ₱1,014

$11.07 ฿370

45.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 ₱319

$7.69 ฿257

-33.94%

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

$131 ₱8,205

$561 ฿18.7K

-76.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₱661.4K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-8.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.77 ₱1,804

$63.0 ฿2,104

-54.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.79 ₱1,242

$29.52 ฿986

-32.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 ₱3,955

$98.0 ฿3,272

-35.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.80 ₱2,998

$88.5 ฿2,954

-45.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 ₱5,503

$738 ฿24.6K

-88.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.1 ₱4,460

$482 ฿16.1K

-85.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₱15.6K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-88.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ₱10.4K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-86.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$376 ₱23.6K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-89.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$290 ₱18.2K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-88.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 ₱13.5K

$494 ฿16.5K

-56.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.57

21.18%

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

Last update for Tarlac City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $87.7 in Tarlac City and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 130% 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: $8.00 in Tarlac City vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $274 per month, with Tarlac City 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

Tarlac City vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tarlac City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 130% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $87.7 in Tarlac City versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $131 in Tarlac City versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $523 in Tarlac City versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tarlac City but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tarlac City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tarlac City 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, Tarlac City 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 Tarlac City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.