Cost of Living Comparison Between Urmia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Urmia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $431 in Urmia versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $731 in Urmia versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,031 in Urmia versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Urmia costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Urmia 68% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 $3.68

$4.70 ฿153

-21.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.96 $16.96

$45.37 ฿1,482

-62.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.42 $4.42

$8.43 ฿275

-47.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 $1.22

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

Cappuccino

$1.21 $1.21

$2.93 ฿95.6

-58.70%

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

$0.90 $0.90

$0.69 ฿22.40

30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.37 ฿11.99

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$2.23 ฿72.9

-73.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.83 ฿59.8

-60.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.17 ฿70.8

7.37%

Eggs

$1.13 $1.13

$2.21 ฿72.3

-48.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$19.74 ฿645

-82.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.63 ฿119

-29.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$13.53 ฿442

-52.48%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$3.28 ฿107

-71.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.61 ฿52.6

-11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$2.41 ฿78.6

-68.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 $0.67

$2.08 ฿68.1

-67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.53 ฿49.93

-68.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.48 ฿48.36

-64.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.99 ฿32.29

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.51 ฿16.67

-50.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.65 $0.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.18 $1.18

$4.41 ฿144

-73.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 $0.17

$1.37 ฿44.79

-87.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.39 ฿372

-12.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 $0.38

$3.02 ฿98.6

-87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.99 ฿32.48

-75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$14.10 ฿461

-86.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.36 ฿44.51

-43.38%

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

$75.8K $75.8K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

168.76%

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

$44.3K $44.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

34.58%

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

$15.59 $15.59

$122 ฿3,975

-87.19%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$13.57 ฿443

-84.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.89 $5.89

$18.31 ฿598

-67.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.31 $22.31

$60.2 ฿1,967

-62.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.60 $5.60

$17.14 ฿560

-67.33%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$8.69 ฿284

-82.28%

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

$117 $117

$693 ฿22.6K

-83.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,938 $1,938

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-87.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.41 $22.41

$59.5 ฿1,944

-62.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.94 $24.94

$34.77 ฿1,136

-28.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$115 ฿3,743

-4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.46 $32.46

$83.3 ฿2,720

-61.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 $172

$613 ฿20.0K

-71.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 $129

$437 ฿14.3K

-70.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 $319

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-84.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 $271

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-82.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$690 $690

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-81.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$588 $588

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-77.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 $192

$508 ฿16.6K

-62.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

294.00%

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

Last update for Urmia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $172 in Urmia and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 165% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Urmia vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $293 per month, with Urmia cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Urmia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Urmia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 165% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $172 in Urmia versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $117 in Urmia versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 203% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $431 in Urmia versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Urmia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Urmia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Urmia 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 Urmia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 193% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.