Cost of Living Comparison Between Tena and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tena and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Tena versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Tena versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,606 in Tena versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Tena costs roughly 36% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tena 40% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 $3.06

$4.70 ฿153

-34.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.75 $17.75

$45.37 ฿1,482

-60.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 $5.45

$8.43 ฿275

-35.35%

Cappuccino

$2.23 $2.23

$2.93 ฿95.6

-23.89%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$0.69 ฿22.40

62.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.37 ฿11.99

91.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.41 ฿78.6

-36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.72 ฿122

-32.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.23 ฿72.9

-50.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.83 ฿59.8

-44.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.17 ฿70.8

-41.47%

Eggs

$1.82 $1.82

$2.21 ฿72.3

-17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$19.74 ฿645

-87.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.63 ฿119

-19.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$13.53 ฿442

-74.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.28 ฿107

-38.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.61 ฿52.6

-23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.41 ฿78.6

-55.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.08 ฿68.1

-38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.53 ฿49.93

-13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.48 ฿48.36

-31.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.99 ฿32.29

-50.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.51 ฿16.67

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.41 ฿144

-21.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 $4.93

$19.38 ฿633

-74.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.78 ฿58.1

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.71 ฿88.6

-45.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 $0.38

$1.37 ฿44.79

-72.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.16 $24.16

$11.39 ฿372

112.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 $1.27

$3.02 ฿98.6

-57.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.99 ฿32.48

1.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 $4.92

$14.10 ฿461

-65.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.36 ฿44.51

-50.74%

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

$20.3K $20.3K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-27.89%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.93%

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

$24.96 $24.96

$122 ฿3,975

-79.49%

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

$14.40 $14.40

$13.57 ฿443

6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.94 $14.94

$18.31 ฿598

-18.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 $30.08

$60.2 ฿1,967

-50.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 $14.57

$17.14 ฿560

-14.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 $7.18

$8.69 ฿284

-17.38%

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

$276 $276

$693 ฿22.6K

-60.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,515 $8,515

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-45.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$59.5 ฿1,944

-2.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 $43.38

$34.77 ฿1,136

24.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 $99.2

$115 ฿3,743

-13.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 $86.0

$83.3 ฿2,720

3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 $343

$613 ฿20.0K

-44.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 $321

$437 ฿14.3K

-26.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 $625

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-70.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 $495

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-67.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,156 $1,156

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-69.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$678 $678

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-74.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

5.33

109.94%

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

Last update for Tena: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Tena and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Tena vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 vs $293 per month, with Tena 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

Tena vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tena is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,207 in Tena 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $343 in Tena versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $276 in Tena 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 117% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $804 in Tena versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tena but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tena 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, Tena 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 Tena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.