Cost of Living Comparison Between Tours and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tours and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,643 in Tours versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,698 in Tours versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,753 in Tours versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Tours is roughly 30% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tours is 23% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tours
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.85 €17.31
$4.48 ฿150
343.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.6 €51.1
$45.59 ฿1,525
28.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.98 €12.19
$8.76 ฿293
59.59%
Cappuccino
$4.11 €3.58
$2.97 ฿99.3
38.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 €2.69
$0.69 ฿22.96
347.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 €1.55
$0.39 ฿13.07
356.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.49 €7.40
$2.53 ฿84.7
235.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.85 €4.23
$3.75 ฿125
29.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tours
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.01
$2.15 ฿71.8
-46.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 €1.43
$1.82 ฿60.7
-9.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.09 €1.82
$2.18 ฿73.1
-4.13%
Eggs
$4.27 €3.72
$2.25 ฿75.2
89.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.40 €16.91
$20.00 ฿669
-3.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.04 €11.37
$3.63 ฿121
259.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.88 €16.46
$13.56 ฿453
39.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.76 €3.28
$3.24 ฿109
16.05%
Banana (1kg)
$3.22 €2.81
$1.64 ฿54.7
96.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.02 €2.64
$2.33 ฿78.0
29.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 €3.27
$2.07 ฿69.3
81.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 €1.69
$1.55 ฿51.8
25.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.80
$1.46 ฿48.67
41.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.72 €1.50
$0.98 ฿32.94
75.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 €0.27
$0.48 ฿16.13
-35.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.28 €11.57
$4.35 ฿146
205.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.75 €5.88
$18.57 ฿621
-63.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.14
$1.86 ฿62.1
32.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.14
$2.65 ฿88.8
-7.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Tours
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.10 €1.83
$1.42 ฿47.40
47.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 €46.11
$11.57 ฿387
357.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.44 €3.00
$3.17 ฿106
8.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.85 €1.62
$1.03 ฿34.51
79.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.48 €30.06
$13.89 ฿465
148.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 €1.74
$1.34 ฿44.96
49.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.4K €28.2K
$27.8K ฿929.6K
16.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K €29.2K
$33.4K ฿1.1M
0.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tours
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$139 €121
$123 ฿4,116
13.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.28 €22.91
$13.77 ฿461
90.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.59 €23.18
$18.33 ฿613
45.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tours
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.47 €31.80
$60.7 ฿2,030
-39.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.00 €12.21
$17.16 ฿574
-18.41%
Cinema Ticket
$12.23 €10.66
$8.87 ฿297
37.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tours
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$470 €409
$688 ฿23.0K
-31.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,571 €7,472
$15.8K ฿527.8K
-45.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tours
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$121 €105
$59.3 ฿1,984
103.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.80 €35.57
$34.69 ฿1,160
17.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 €110
$115 ฿3,853
9.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147 €128
$83.8 ฿2,802
75.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tours
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$591 €515
$621 ฿20.8K
-4.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 €410
$446 ฿14.9K
5.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,525 €1,330
$2,034 ฿68.0K
-24.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 €896
$1,496 ฿50.0K
-31.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,774 €3,290
$3,455 ฿115.6K
9.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,531 ฿84.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tours
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,298 €2,004
$494 ฿16.5K
365.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.59
5.33
-32.65%

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

Last update for Tours: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $591 in Tours and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tours pays 366% 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: $59.0 in Tours vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $291 per month, with Phuket 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
Tours vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tours?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tours or Phuket?
Average pay runs 366% higher in Tours, 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 Tours and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $591 in Tours versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $470 in Tours versus $688 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 Tours and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Tours. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tours or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,643 in Tours, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tours. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tours or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tours, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Tours or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tours 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 30% less than in Tours. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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