Cost of Living Comparison Between Adama and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Adama and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $1,114 per month in Adama vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,756 per month in Adama vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Adama vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Adama is about 10% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Adama and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Adama17% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05ETB 477
$4.63฿151
-34.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.58ETB 5,561
$46.84฿1,532
-24.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.04ETB 788
$8.84฿289
-42.99%
Cappuccino
$1.28ETB 201
$3.00฿98.0
-57.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67ETB 105
$0.74฿24.25
-9.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31ETB 48.66
$0.37฿11.95
-16.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.01ETB 158
$2.44฿79.8
-58.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96ETB 463
$3.61฿118
-18.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.46ETB 228
$2.26฿73.9
-35.40%
White Bread(500g)
$1.27ETB 199
$1.84฿60.1
-30.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.12ETB 332
$2.24฿73.4
-5.36%
Eggs
$2.52ETB 393
$2.32฿75.7
8.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.27ETB 1,137
$19.67฿643
-63.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.73ETB 2,145
$3.65฿119
276.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.38ETB 2,091
$13.10฿428
2.14%
Apples(1kg)
$6.79ETB 1,061
$3.39฿111
100.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.02ETB 160
$1.64฿53.7
-37.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.23ETB 349
$2.41฿79.0
-7.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.92ETB 144
$2.03฿66.4
-54.68%
Potato(1kg)
$0.63ETB 98.2
$1.56฿50.9
-59.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.91ETB 299
$1.50฿48.94
27.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70ETB 110
$1.02฿33.50
-31.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63ETB 98.5
$0.49฿16.00
28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.92ETB 613
$4.45฿145
-11.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.74ETB 896
$18.88฿617
-69.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04ETB 162
$1.78฿58.1
-41.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82ETB 284
$2.75฿90.1
-33.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Adama
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.40฿45.81
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.45ETB 226
$3.12฿102
-53.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29ETB 45.92
$1.00฿32.67
-71.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.03ETB 317
$14.09฿461
-85.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30ETB 202
$1.35฿44.19
-3.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$54.4KETB 8.5M
$27.2K฿888.9K
100.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.8KETB 8.6M
$32.9K฿1.1M
66.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$162ETB 25.3K
$125฿4,087
29.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.16ETB 1,900
$13.57฿444
-10.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$133ETB 20.8K
$18.52฿606
616.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.5฿2,010
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿551
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.87ETB 917
$9.19฿300
-36.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$79.7ETB 12.5K
$698฿22.8K
-88.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$39.9KETB 6.2M
$15.6K฿509.9K
156.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.05ETB 7,509
$57.8฿1,889
-16.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$74.0ETB 11.6K
$35.24฿1,152
110.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1ETB 14.7K
$113฿3,699
-16.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116ETB 18.1K
$86.4฿2,825
33.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Adama
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$496ETB 77.6K
$616฿20.1K
-19.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$304ETB 47.5K
$446฿14.6K
-31.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$982ETB 153.5K
$2,048฿67.0K
-52.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$813ETB 127.1K
$1,492฿48.8K
-45.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Adama
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$102ETB 15.9K
$524฿17.1K
-80.58%
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $496 in Adama versus $616 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 415% 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 $36.00 in Adama versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $292 – 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: $1,114 in Adama, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 11% 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 $1,671 per month in Adama and $1,847 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 $36.00 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 10% 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 $1,114, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,114 in Adama to $1,232 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.