Cost of Living Comparison Between Telsiai and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Telsiai and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,425 in Telsiai versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,223 in Telsiai versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,022 in Telsiai versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Telsiai is roughly 13% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Telsiai is 6% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.72 €11.82
$4.56 ฿149
200.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 €58.9
$46.63 ฿1,519
46.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.45 €8.14
$8.47 ฿276
11.57%
Cappuccino
$3.71 €3.19
$3.03 ฿98.6
22.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.82
$0.69 ฿22.45
205.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.09
$0.37 ฿11.92
556.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.34 €4.60
$2.49 ฿81.0
114.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.09 €4.38
$3.66 ฿119
39.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 €1.32
$2.18 ฿71.0
-29.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 €1.32
$1.90 ฿62.0
-19.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.61 €2.25
$2.20 ฿71.6
18.64%
Eggs
$2.82 €2.43
$2.22 ฿72.4
27.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.42 €10.70
$19.99 ฿651
-37.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.26 €6.26
$3.66 ฿119
98.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.44 €10.72
$13.25 ฿432
-6.11%
Apples (1kg)
$1.52 €1.31
$3.23 ฿105
-52.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 €1.39
$1.70 ฿55.3
-5.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 €1.81
$2.39 ฿78.0
-12.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.30 €2.84
$2.08 ฿67.7
58.65%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 €0.75
$1.59 ฿51.8
-45.28%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 €0.89
$1.48 ฿48.31
-30.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 €1.59
$1.03 ฿33.54
78.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.83
$0.52 ฿16.83
84.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.72 €4.93
$4.25 ฿138
34.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.24 €8.82
$18.79 ฿612
-45.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.49
$1.76 ฿57.2
-1.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 €1.90
$2.76 ฿89.8
-20.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 €1.01
$1.36 ฿44.32
-13.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.19 €29.46
$11.36 ฿370
200.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 €2.81
$3.14 ฿102
4.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 €0.97
$1.04 ฿33.74
7.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.08 €13.85
$13.77 ฿448
16.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.71 €1.47
$1.34 ฿43.79
27.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K €29.7K
$27.7K ฿901.4K
24.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K €28.0K
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-4.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$243 €210
$124 ฿4,025
96.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.19 €12.22
$13.52 ฿440
4.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.25 €14.87
$18.69 ฿609
-7.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.89 €36.95
$61.8 ฿2,013
-30.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.49 €20.24
$17.25 ฿562
36.17%
Cinema Ticket
$9.44 €8.13
$9.14 ฿298
3.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$622 €536
$703 ฿22.9K
-11.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,124 €7,861
$15.9K ฿517.0K
-42.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.5 €74.5
$59.5 ฿1,937
45.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.01 €36.20
$35.07 ฿1,142
19.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 €92.2
$115 ฿3,754
-7.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €111
$84.1 ฿2,737
53.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$538 €463
$619 ฿20.1K
-13.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$362 €312
$433 ฿14.1K
-16.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$848 €731
$2,062 ฿67.2K
-58.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €564
$1,511 ฿49.2K
-56.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,706 €2,331
$3,646 ฿118.7K
-25.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,772 €1,527
$2,626 ฿85.5K
-32.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Telsiai
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$507 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.49
5.33
-15.76%

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

Last update for Telsiai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $538 in Telsiai and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Telsiai vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $293, with Telsiai cheaper for home cooking.

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
Telsiai vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Telsiai?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,137 in Telsiai and $1,892 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 Telsiai and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $538 in Telsiai versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $622 in Telsiai versus $703 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 Telsiai and Phuket?
Shoppers in Telsiai pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Telsiai or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,425 in Telsiai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Telsiai. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Telsiai or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Telsiai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Telsiai or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Telsiai 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Telsiai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Telsiai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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