Cost of Living Comparison Between Alba and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Alba and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,705 per month in Alba vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,685 per month in Alba vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,665 per month in Alba vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Alba costs about 35% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alba sits 24% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.97 €20.66

$4.66 ฿154

414.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 €81.1

$32.22 ฿1,065

191.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.10 €12.15

$8.68 ฿287

62.44%

Cappuccino

$2.22 €1.91

$2.90 ฿95.8

-23.45%

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

$3.94 €3.39

$0.84 ฿27.89

369.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.49 ฿16.16

308.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 €5.13

$2.48 ฿82.0

140.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €6.03

$3.73 ฿123

87.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.89 ฿62.3

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.41 ฿46.54

143.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 €3.38

$1.62 ฿53.6

141.98%

Eggs

$5.24 €4.52

$2.24 ฿74.1

133.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.78 €20.50

$19.84 ฿656

19.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.11 €13.02

$3.48 ฿115

334.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.75 €20.47

$11.37 ฿376

108.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.90 ฿95.8

11.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$1.72 ฿57.0

48.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$2.27 ฿75.1

55.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 €3.90

$2.13 ฿70.4

112.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$1.47 ฿48.72

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.42 ฿46.92

43.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.10 ฿36.25

66.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 €0.50

$0.60 ฿19.76

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 €5.92

$4.31 ฿142

59.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 €7.91

$18.60 ฿615

-50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.80 ฿59.5

16.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.97 ฿98.0

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.36 €7.20

$3.10 ฿102

169.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 €1.96

$1.08 ฿35.56

110.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.9 €54.3

$3.87 ฿128

1526.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.43 ฿47.16

55.94%

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

$37.8K €32.6K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

36.18%

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

$36.9K €31.8K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

36.83%

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

$260 €224

$105 ฿3,462

147.84%

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

$8.22 €7.09

$11.39 ฿376

-27.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.08 €25.93

$17.54 ฿580

71.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 €11.11

$7.78 ฿257

65.68%

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

$870 €750

$576 ฿19.0K

51.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K €17.0K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

70.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €93.8

$63.6 ฿2,103

70.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 €45.58

$29.10 ฿961

81.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$96.2 ฿3,179

20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €146

$90.0 ฿2,974

87.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 €479

$733 ฿24.2K

-24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 €357

$501 ฿16.5K

-17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 €658

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-64.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 €549

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-49.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,129 €2,697

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-11.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,708 €2,334

$508 ฿16.8K

433.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

5.57

-43.09%

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

Last update for Alba: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Alba versus $733 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 433% higher in Alba, 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 $94.0 in Alba versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $435 vs $275 – making Phuket 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

Alba vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Alba is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,557 per month in Alba and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Alba and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Alba, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Alba at $1,705. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.