Cost of Living Comparison Between Tukums and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Tukums and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,284 in Tukums versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,860 in Tukums versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,435 in Tukums versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Tukums is roughly 4% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Tukums4% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.81âŽ4.97
$4.63āļŋ151
25.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.48âŽ20.09
$46.84āļŋ1,532
-49.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42âŽ8.07
$8.84āļŋ289
6.56%
Cappuccino
$3.46âŽ2.96
$3.00āļŋ98.0
15.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78âŽ1.52
$0.74āļŋ24.25
140.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35âŽ1.16
$0.37āļŋ11.95
264.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.86âŽ5.02
$2.44āļŋ79.8
140.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94âŽ5.08
$3.61āļŋ118
64.54%
ð Groceries & Markets
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13âŽ0.97
$2.26āļŋ73.9
-50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.68âŽ1.44
$1.84āļŋ60.1
-8.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.92âŽ2.50
$2.24āļŋ73.4
30.36%
Eggs
$2.10âŽ1.80
$2.32āļŋ75.7
-9.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.99âŽ7.70
$19.67āļŋ643
-54.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.05âŽ6.03
$3.65āļŋ119
93.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.73âŽ10.04
$13.10āļŋ428
-10.46%
Apples(1kg)
$1.66âŽ1.42
$3.39āļŋ111
-51.03%
Banana(1kg)
$1.85âŽ1.58
$1.64āļŋ53.7
12.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.54âŽ2.17
$2.41āļŋ79.0
5.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.56âŽ3.04
$2.03āļŋ66.4
75.37%
Potato(1kg)
$0.66âŽ0.56
$1.56āļŋ50.9
-57.69%
Onion(1kg)
$1.07âŽ0.91
$1.50āļŋ48.94
-28.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.73âŽ1.48
$1.02āļŋ33.50
69.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60âŽ0.52
$0.49āļŋ16.00
22.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.71âŽ4.89
$4.45āļŋ145
28.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.05âŽ6.89
$18.88āļŋ617
-57.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22âŽ1.05
$1.78āļŋ58.1
-31.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28âŽ1.95
$2.75āļŋ90.1
-17.09%
ð Getting Around
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94âŽ0.80
$1.40āļŋ45.81
-32.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$35.77âŽ30.62
$11.48āļŋ376
211.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.94âŽ2.51
$3.12āļŋ102
-5.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.86âŽ0.73
$1.00āļŋ32.67
-14.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.04âŽ12.02
$14.09āļŋ461
-0.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.85âŽ1.58
$1.35āļŋ44.19
37.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8KâŽ26.4K
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
13.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8KâŽ27.3K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-3.29%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$296âŽ253
$125āļŋ4,087
136.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.12âŽ14.65
$13.57āļŋ444
26.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.64âŽ17.67
$18.52āļŋ606
11.45%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.7âŽ44.27
$61.5āļŋ2,010
-15.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84āļŋ551
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.73âŽ10.04
$9.19āļŋ300
27.64%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$538âŽ460
$698āļŋ22.8K
-23.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7KâŽ13.4K
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
0.54%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.4âŽ77.4
$57.8āļŋ1,889
56.49%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.64âŽ39.93
$35.24āļŋ1,152
32.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.3âŽ69.6
$113āļŋ3,699
-28.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137âŽ117
$86.4āļŋ2,825
58.36%
ð Accommodation & Living
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$231âŽ197
$616āļŋ20.1K
-62.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$254âŽ218
$446āļŋ14.6K
-42.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$742âŽ635
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
-63.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$458âŽ392
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
-69.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,491âŽ1,276
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
-60.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,001âŽ856
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
-62.23%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Tukums
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$577âŽ494
$524āļŋ17.1K
10.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.63
5.33
-13.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tukums: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Tukums and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Tukums pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $23.00 in Tukums vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $292 per month, with Tukums 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
Tukums vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tukums?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tukums or Phuket?
Tukums pays 10% more on average, 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 Tukums and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $231 in Tukums versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $538 in Tukums versus $698 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 Tukums and Phuket?
Shoppers in Tukums pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tukums or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,284 in Tukums, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tukums. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tukums or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tukums, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Tukums or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tukums 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 â expenses run 4% less than in Tukums. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.