Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $710 in Tehran versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Tehran versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,569 in Tehran versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Tehran costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tehran 47% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 $3.89

$4.70 ฿153

-17.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.06 $18.06

$45.37 ฿1,482

-60.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$8.43 ฿275

-39.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$1.30 $1.30

$2.93 ฿95.6

-55.63%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$0.69 ฿22.40

-34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.37 ฿11.99

178.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$2.23 ฿72.9

-73.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.83 ฿59.8

-68.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.17 ฿70.8

-13.82%

Eggs

$1.16 $1.16

$2.21 ฿72.3

-47.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$19.74 ฿645

-82.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.63 ฿119

-10.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$13.53 ฿442

-19.22%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$3.28 ฿107

-73.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.61 ฿52.6

-11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.41 ฿78.6

-66.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 $0.67

$2.08 ฿68.1

-67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.53 ฿49.93

-64.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 $0.50

$1.48 ฿48.36

-66.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.99 ฿32.29

-41.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.51 ฿16.67

-54.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 $2.57

$4.41 ฿144

-41.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$1.37 ฿44.79

-82.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.95 $9.95

$11.39 ฿372

-12.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$3.02 ฿98.6

-82.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.99 ฿32.48

-68.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$14.10 ฿461

-78.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.36 ฿44.51

-44.12%

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

$81.4K $81.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

188.64%

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

$55.9K $55.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

69.79%

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

$15.74 $15.74

$122 ฿3,975

-87.07%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$13.57 ฿443

-83.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.66 $5.66

$18.31 ฿598

-69.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.05 $23.05

$60.2 ฿1,967

-61.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 $11.87

$17.14 ฿560

-30.75%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$8.69 ฿284

-82.28%

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

$125 $125

$693 ฿22.6K

-81.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,001 $2,001

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-87.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.87 $30.87

$59.5 ฿1,944

-48.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.04 $34.04

$34.77 ฿1,136

-2.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$115 ฿3,743

6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 $70.4

$83.3 ฿2,720

-15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 $489

$613 ฿20.0K

-20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 $336

$437 ฿14.3K

-23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 $1,020

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 $709

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-53.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,265 $1,265

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-66.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$817 $817

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-68.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

$508 ฿16.6K

-58.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.07

5.33

370.36%

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

Last update for Tehran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Tehran and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 140% 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: $18.00 in Tehran vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $110 vs $293 per month, with Tehran cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tehran vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tehran is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 140% 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: $489 in Tehran versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $125 in Tehran 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 166% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $710 in Tehran versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tehran but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tehran the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tehran 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, Tehran 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 Tehran gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.