Cost of Living Comparison Between Tumon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tumon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,483 in Tumon versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,465 in Tumon versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,447 in Tumon versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Tumon is roughly 17% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tumon is 11% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.07 $25.07

$4.66 ฿150

437.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.86 $14.86

$8.68 ฿280

71.20%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$2.53 ฿81.6

222.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿3,962

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

$13.82 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

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

$696 ฿22.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 $2,006

$615 ฿19.8K

225.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 $1,178

$448 ฿14.4K

162.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,025 $4,025

$2,085 ฿67.2K

93.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,886 $2,886

$1,496 ฿48.2K

92.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Tumon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,006 in Tumon and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $0 in Tumon vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $0 vs $291 per month, with Tumon 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

Tumon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Tumon and $1,904 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: $2,006 in Tumon versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,483 in Tumon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tumon. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tumon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tumon 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Tumon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.