Cost of Living Comparison Between Adama and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Adama and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $1,113 per month in Adama vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Adama vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,451 per month in Adama vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Adama is about 12% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Adama and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Adama17% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03ETB 480
$4.56฿149
-33.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.50ETB 5,468
$46.63฿1,519
-26.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.10ETB 808
$8.47฿276
-39.79%
Cappuccino
$1.27ETB 202
$3.03฿98.6
-58.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69ETB 109
$0.69฿22.45
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31ETB 49.29
$0.37฿11.92
-16.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.99ETB 156
$2.49฿81.0
-60.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02ETB 478
$3.66฿119
-17.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45ETB 231
$2.18฿71.0
-33.49%
White Bread(500g)
$1.35ETB 214
$1.90฿62.0
-28.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.12ETB 336
$2.20฿71.6
-3.64%
Eggs
$2.41ETB 382
$2.22฿72.4
8.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.22ETB 1,145
$19.99฿651
-63.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.10ETB 2,235
$3.66฿119
285.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.43ETB 2,129
$13.25฿432
1.36%
Apples(1kg)
$6.75ETB 1,070
$3.23฿105
108.98%
Banana(1kg)
$0.96ETB 152
$1.70฿55.3
-43.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.19ETB 347
$2.39฿78.0
-8.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.98ETB 156
$2.08฿67.7
-52.88%
Potato(1kg)
$0.67ETB 107
$1.59฿51.8
-57.86%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89ETB 300
$1.48฿48.31
27.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.69ETB 109
$1.03฿33.54
-33.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63ETB 99.8
$0.52฿16.83
21.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.93ETB 623
$4.25฿138
-7.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.53ETB 876
$18.79฿612
-70.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04ETB 165
$1.76฿57.2
-40.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89ETB 300
$2.76฿89.8
-31.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Adama
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.36฿44.32
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44ETB 228
$3.14฿102
-54.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29ETB 46.09
$1.04฿33.74
-72.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.05ETB 324
$13.77฿448
-85.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29ETB 205
$1.34฿43.79
-3.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$54.7KETB 8.7M
$27.7K฿901.4K
97.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.7KETB 8.7M
$33.9K฿1.1M
61.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$162ETB 25.6K
$124฿4,025
30.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.84ETB 1,877
$13.52฿440
-12.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$129ETB 20.4K
$18.69฿609
588.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.8฿2,013
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.63ETB 893
$9.14฿298
-38.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$80.5ETB 12.8K
$703฿22.9K
-88.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$40.5KETB 6.4M
$15.9K฿517.0K
155.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.44ETB 7,361
$59.5฿1,937
-21.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.1ETB 11.9K
$35.07฿1,142
114.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.3ETB 14.6K
$115฿3,754
-19.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112ETB 17.8K
$84.1฿2,737
33.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Adama
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$509ETB 80.6K
$619฿20.1K
-17.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$302ETB 47.9K
$433฿14.1K
-30.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,005ETB 159.3K
$2,062฿67.2K
-51.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$791ETB 125.4K
$1,511฿49.2K
-47.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,646฿118.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$101ETB 15.9K
$507฿16.5K
-80.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
17
5.33
218.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Adama: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Adama versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 404% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Adama versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $293 – making Adama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Adama vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Adama and Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,113 in Adama, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 13% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Adama compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,670 per month in Adama and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Adama and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Adama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Adama and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 9% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Adama, where all-in costs run around $1,113, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Adama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Adama and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,113 in Adama to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Adama or Phuket safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Adama and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Adama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.