Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Tema versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,266 in Tema versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,745 in Tema versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in Tema costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tema 43% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 GHS 82.1

$4.43 ฿145

68.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 GHS 327

$35.07 ฿1,151

-15.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

Cappuccino

$5.59 GHS 61.4

$3.00 ฿98.4

86.33%

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

$0.87 GHS 9.52

$0.77 ฿25.33

12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 GHS 3.52

$0.47 ฿15.44

-31.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 GHS 36.89

$2.40 ฿78.6

39.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 GHS 30.78

$3.75 ฿123

-25.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.36 GHS 36.96

$1.82 ฿59.8

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 GHS 17.96

$1.42 ฿46.65

14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 GHS 24.02

$1.55 ฿50.8

40.65%

Eggs

$2.47 GHS 27.18

$2.13 ฿69.9

15.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 GHS 48.79

$19.76 ฿648

-77.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 GHS 36.55

$3.48 ฿114

-4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.55 GHS 39.03

$11.09 ฿364

-67.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 GHS 29.44

$2.91 ฿95.5

-7.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 GHS 24.84

$1.66 ฿54.6

36.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 GHS 24.68

$2.27 ฿74.5

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 GHS 41.12

$2.10 ฿68.8

78.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 GHS 40.49

$1.47 ฿48.24

150.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 GHS 31.68

$1.41 ฿46.29

104.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 GHS 5.07

$1.09 ฿35.78

-57.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 GHS 7.80

$0.54 ฿17.58

31.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.32 GHS 14.54

$4.48 ฿147

-70.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 GHS 101

$18.72 ฿614

-51.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 GHS 25.30

$1.84 ฿60.4

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 GHS 35.73

$2.95 ฿96.7

10.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 GHS 19.73

$2.26 ฿74.1

-20.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.41 GHS 478

$23.07 ฿757

88.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 GHS 24.25

$3.04 ฿99.9

-27.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 GHS 4.84

$1.09 ฿35.82

-59.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 GHS 13.36

$1.49 ฿48.79

-18.79%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

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

$82.7 GHS 910

$102 ฿3,340

-18.75%

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

$15.78 GHS 174

$11.28 ฿370

39.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 GHS 940

$17.75 ฿582

381.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.14 GHS 277

$54.2 ฿1,777

-53.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 GHS 99.2

$7.85 ฿258

14.90%

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

$180 GHS 1,984

$577 ฿18.9K

-68.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,701 GHS 29.7K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-76.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.82 GHS 152

$65.4 ฿2,144

-78.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.50 GHS 182

$28.89 ฿948

-42.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.92 GHS 505

$99.1 ฿3,250

-53.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.50 GHS 369

$90.3 ฿2,961

-62.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$135 GHS 1,489

$756 ฿24.8K

-82.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.0 GHS 825

$487 ฿16.0K

-84.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 GHS 5,008

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-78.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 GHS 2,517

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-81.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K GHS 114.1K

$3,591 ฿117.8K

188.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,342 GHS 69.8K

$2,610 ฿85.6K

142.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 GHS 4,815

$502 ฿16.5K

-12.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

528.37%

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

Last update for Tema: August 17, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $135 in Tema and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 15% 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: $30.00 in Tema vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $272 per month, with Tema 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

Tema vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $135 in Tema versus $756 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $180 in Tema versus $577 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $787 in Tema versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tema but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tema 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, Tema 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 Tema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.