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: $1,774 in Turrialba versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,783 in Turrialba versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,792 in Turrialba versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Turrialba is roughly 44% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Turrialba is 30% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,488

$4.41 ฿147

180.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 ₡26.7K

$32.26 ฿1,077

85.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 ₡5,080

$8.93 ฿298

28.00%

Cappuccino

$4.47 ₡1,988

$2.90 ฿96.6

54.14%

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

$2.69 ₡1,196

$0.88 ฿29.38

205.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₡837

$0.48 ฿16.06

291.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 ₡1,447

$2.35 ฿78.5

38.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₡2,024

$3.72 ฿124

22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 ₡1,096

$1.87 ฿62.3

32.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₡1,407

$1.47 ฿48.94

114.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,112

$1.55 ฿51.8

61.29%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,545

$2.10 ฿70.1

65.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ₡4,812

$19.59 ฿654

-44.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.70 ₡4,756

$3.42 ฿114

212.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 ₡6,287

$11.38 ฿380

24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 ₡2,276

$2.98 ฿99.6

71.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡734

$1.68 ฿56.2

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 ₡2,168

$2.21 ฿73.7

120.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 ₡1,735

$2.16 ฿72.1

80.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 ₡1,770

$1.52 ฿50.9

161.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,640

$1.34 ฿44.67

175.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡507

$1.13 ฿37.67

0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 ₡1,461

$0.55 ฿18.24

498.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 ₡2,645

$4.26 ฿142

39.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.71 ₡9,206

$19.09 ฿637

8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,305

$1.78 ฿59.4

65.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₡1,581

$2.78 ฿92.9

28.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡541

$2.23 ฿74.4

-45.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₡1,121

$3.03 ฿101

-16.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡723

$1.02 ฿34.15

59.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.75 ₡3,887

$3.89 ฿130

124.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡685

$1.49 ฿49.77

3.36%

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

$22.2K ₡9.9M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-16.42%

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

$35.5K ₡15.8M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

31.52%

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

$94.2 ₡41.8K

$102 ฿3,420

-8.11%

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

$36.52 ₡16.2K

$11.33 ฿378

222.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 ₡28.0K

$17.40 ฿581

262.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.8 ₡29.7K

$52.1 ฿1,738

28.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 ₡3,658

$7.69 ฿257

7.02%

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

$991 ₡440.5K

$561 ฿18.7K

76.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₡7.8M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

52.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 ₡31.5K

$63.0 ฿2,104

12.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 ₡25.2K

$29.52 ฿986

92.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.2K

$98.0 ฿3,272

33.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₡60.1K

$88.5 ฿2,954

52.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 ₡377.3K

$738 ฿24.6K

15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 ₡323.4K

$482 ฿16.1K

50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,951 ₡866.9K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-7.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ₡511.3K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-6.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for Turrialba: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $849 in Turrialba and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Turrialba vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $274 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,660 in Turrialba and $1,847 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: $849 in Turrialba versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $991 in Turrialba versus $561 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 $32.00 versus $60.0 in Turrialba. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,774 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 44% less than in Turrialba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.