Cost of Living Comparison Between Turrialba and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Turrialba and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,583 in Turrialba versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,432 in Turrialba versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,282 in Turrialba versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Turrialba is roughly 25% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Turrialba is 19% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.16 ₡5,002

$4.48 ฿150

149.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 ₡26.8K

$45.59 ฿1,521

30.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 ₡4,588

$8.76 ฿292

16.78%

Cappuccino

$3.78 ₡1,695

$2.97 ฿99.0

27.27%

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

$1.98 ₡887

$0.69 ฿22.90

186.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡710

$0.39 ฿13.04

305.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ₡1,304

$2.53 ฿84.4

15.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 ₡2,119

$3.75 ฿125

26.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡925

$2.15 ฿71.6

-4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 ₡1,250

$1.82 ฿60.6

53.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₡998

$2.18 ฿72.9

1.83%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,320

$2.25 ฿75.0

30.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 ₡4,372

$20.00 ฿667

-51.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 ₡4,096

$3.63 ฿121

151.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,165

$13.56 ฿452

1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 ₡2,006

$3.24 ฿108

37.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₡675

$1.64 ฿54.6

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 ₡1,865

$2.33 ฿77.8

78.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,538

$2.07 ฿69.1

65.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ₡1,521

$1.55 ฿51.6

118.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,397

$1.46 ฿48.54

113.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡430

$0.98 ฿32.86

-2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,307

$0.48 ฿16.09

506.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.24 ₡2,347

$4.35 ฿145

20.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.71 ₡9,734

$18.57 ฿620

16.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,084

$1.86 ฿61.9

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₡1,324

$2.65 ฿88.6

11.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡435

$1.42 ฿47.28

-31.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡807

$3.17 ฿106

-43.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 ₡837

$1.03 ฿34.41

81.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 ₡3,592

$13.89 ฿463

-42.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡629

$1.34 ฿44.84

4.48%

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

$38.0K ₡17.0M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

36.81%

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

$32.9K ₡14.7M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-1.58%

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

$93.0 ₡41.7K

$123 ฿4,105

-24.44%

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

$26.31 ₡11.8K

$13.77 ฿459

91.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 ₡27.0K

$18.33 ฿611

228.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₡25.3K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-6.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.74 ₡10.6K

$17.16 ฿573

38.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 ₡4,416

$8.87 ฿296

11.05%

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

$566 ₡253.9K

$688 ฿22.9K

-17.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.6M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-20.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 ₡28.3K

$59.3 ฿1,978

6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 ₡22.8K

$34.69 ฿1,157

46.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.5K

$115 ฿3,843

7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.9K

$83.8 ฿2,794

27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ₡344.4K

$621 ฿20.7K

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₡267.6K

$446 ฿14.9K

33.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 ₡675.7K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-25.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 ₡440.0K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-34.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

5.33

90.81%

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

Last update for Turrialba: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Turrialba and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Turrialba vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 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

Turrialba vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,375 in Turrialba and $1,896 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: $768 in Turrialba versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $566 in Turrialba versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $60.0 in Turrialba. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,583 in Turrialba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Turrialba. 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 Turrialba, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Turrialba 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 25% less than in Turrialba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.