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: $1,508 in Tumon versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,523 in Tumon versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,537 in Tumon versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Tumon is roughly 19% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tumon is 13% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 $25.39

$4.70 ฿154

440.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.26 $15.26

$8.43 ฿277

81.02%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$2.41 ฿79.0

232.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,993

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

$13.57 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

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

$693 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$613 ฿20.1K

221.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 $1,186

$437 ฿14.3K

171.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,011 $4,011

$2,094 ฿68.7K

91.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,896 $2,896

$1,509 ฿49.5K

91.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,972 in Tumon and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,263 in Tumon 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: $1,972 in Tumon versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,508 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 19% less than in Tumon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.