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: $1,593 in Turrialba versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Turrialba versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Turrialba versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Turrialba is roughly 26% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Turrialba is 19% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₡4,903

$4.56 ฿149

137.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 ₡26.4K

$46.63 ฿1,519

25.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 ₡4,487

$8.47 ฿276

17.24%

Cappuccino

$3.92 ₡1,773

$3.03 ฿98.6

29.37%

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

$2.04 ₡920

$0.69 ฿22.45

195.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₡722

$0.37 ฿11.92

332.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,378

$2.49 ฿81.0

22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ₡2,060

$3.66 ฿119

24.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₡898

$2.18 ฿71.0

-8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 ₡1,315

$1.90 ฿62.0

53.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₡1,005

$2.20 ฿71.6

1.36%

Eggs

$2.90 ₡1,311

$2.22 ฿72.4

30.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₡4,608

$19.99 ฿651

-48.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.20 ₡4,155

$3.66 ฿119

151.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 ₡6,075

$13.25 ฿432

1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 ₡2,071

$3.23 ฿105

41.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡662

$1.70 ฿55.3

-13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 ₡1,944

$2.39 ฿78.0

79.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,557

$2.08 ฿67.7

65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ₡1,524

$1.59 ฿51.8

111.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,409

$1.48 ฿48.31

110.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡437

$1.03 ฿33.54

-5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,284

$0.52 ฿16.83

446.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 ₡2,392

$4.25 ฿138

24.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.00 ₡9,942

$18.79 ฿612

17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,145

$1.76 ฿57.2

43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,266

$2.76 ฿89.8

1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡439

$1.36 ฿44.32

-28.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡815

$3.14 ฿102

-42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 ₡846

$1.04 ฿33.74

79.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 ₡3,618

$13.77 ฿448

-41.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡633

$1.34 ฿43.79

4.48%

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

$37.7K ₡17.0M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

36.05%

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

$31.9K ₡14.4M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-5.74%

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

$93.6 ₡42.3K

$124 ฿4,025

-24.27%

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

$25.83 ₡11.7K

$13.52 ฿440

91.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 ₡26.4K

$18.69 ฿609

212.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 ₡26.0K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-6.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₡10.6K

$17.25 ฿562

35.88%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 ₡4,546

$9.14 ฿298

10.07%

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

$563 ₡254.2K

$703 ฿22.9K

-19.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.6M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-21.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ₡28.5K

$59.5 ฿1,937

6.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.1K

$35.07 ฿1,142

45.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡57.1K

$115 ฿3,754

9.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡47.7K

$84.1 ฿2,737

25.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 ₡345.0K

$619 ฿20.1K

23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₡266.4K

$433 ฿14.1K

36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 ₡672.5K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡434.1K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-36.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $764 in Turrialba and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Turrialba vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $293 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,390 in Turrialba and $1,892 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: $764 in Turrialba versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $563 in Turrialba versus $703 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 $47.00 versus $59.0 in Turrialba. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,593 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 26% less than in Turrialba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.