🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Tepelene versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Tepelene versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,462 in Tepelene versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Tepelene costs roughly 3% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Tepelene9% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.56ALL 942
$4.55฿153
154.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.3ALL 4,839
$46.18฿1,554
28.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29ALL 758
$8.84฿298
5.09%
Cappuccino
$2.04ALL 167
$3.06฿103
-33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84ALL 150
$0.73฿24.42
152.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00ALL 81.3
$0.40฿13.40
150.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.86ALL 234
$2.43฿81.8
17.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08ALL 333
$3.78฿127
7.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.12ALL 173
$2.26฿76.0
-6.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.08ALL 88.0
$1.81฿60.9
-40.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23ALL 182
$2.25฿75.8
-0.89%
Eggs
$3.95ALL 322
$2.25฿75.6
75.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.02ALL 1,061
$19.51฿656
-33.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.82ALL 638
$3.65฿123
114.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.56ALL 1,269
$13.05฿439
19.23%
Apples(1kg)
$1.76ALL 144
$3.23฿109
-45.51%
Banana(1kg)
$2.77ALL 226
$1.62฿54.4
70.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.04ALL 167
$2.38฿80.2
-14.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.92ALL 157
$2.03฿68.2
-5.42%
Potato(1kg)
$1.31ALL 107
$1.53฿51.6
-14.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.32ALL 107
$1.50฿50.5
-12.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51ALL 123
$0.98฿32.93
54.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78ALL 63.6
$0.52฿17.40
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19ALL 342
$4.44฿149
-5.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.45ALL 853
$18.32฿616
-42.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59ALL 130
$1.86฿62.7
-14.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14ALL 174
$2.68฿90.2
-20.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.45ALL 37.10
$1.41฿47.49
-68.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.91ALL 1,542
$11.70฿394
61.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.48ALL 284
$3.11฿105
11.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.18ALL 259
$1.04฿35.08
205.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.92ALL 1,461
$14.11฿475
27.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.05ALL 167
$1.31฿44.13
56.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.7KALL 3.2M
$27.8K฿936.0K
42.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4KALL 2.9M
$33.2K฿1.1M
6.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$106ALL 8,680
$122฿4,120
-13.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.19ALL 1,484
$13.59฿457
33.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.67ALL 1,522
$18.70฿629
-0.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.0ALL 4,481
$60.5฿2,035
-9.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.34ALL 2,066
$16.98฿572
49.23%
Cinema Ticket
$9.32ALL 760
$9.07฿305
2.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$161ALL 13.1K
$706฿23.8K
-77.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,601ALL 456.7K
$15.8K฿531.8K
-64.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.9ALL 4,963
$58.6฿1,970
3.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.9ALL 4,149
$35.36฿1,190
43.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106ALL 8,615
$115฿3,885
-8.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127ALL 10.3K
$83.7฿2,818
51.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$455ALL 37.1K
$626฿21.1K
-27.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$341ALL 27.8K
$445฿15.0K
-23.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$620ALL 50.6K
$2,040฿68.7K
-69.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$438ALL 35.7K
$1,492฿50.2K
-70.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,819ALL 148.4K
$3,483฿117.2K
-47.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,239ALL 101.0K
$2,577฿86.7K
-51.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tepelene
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$658ALL 53.7K
$500฿16.8K
31.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.52
5.33
3.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tepelene: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Tepelene and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Tepelene pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $59.0 in Tepelene vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 vs $289, with Tepelene 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
Tepelene vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tepelene?
Tepelene is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tepelene or Phuket?
Average pay runs 32% higher in Tepelene, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Tepelene and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Tepelene versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $161 in Tepelene versus $706 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 Tepelene and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Tepelene or in Phuket?
At $1,215 in Tepelene versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tepelene but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tepelene the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tepelene or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Tepelene 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.
Which city is safer, Tepelene or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tepelene 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 Tepelene gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.