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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,530 per month in Alba vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,370 per month in Alba vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Alba vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Alba costs about 22% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alba sits 15% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 €10.59

$4.55 ฿153

165.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.4 €81.7

$46.18 ฿1,554

102.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.71 €11.12

$8.84 ฿298

43.78%

Cappuccino

$1.70 €1.49

$3.06 ฿103

-44.44%

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

$2.97 €2.60

$0.73 ฿24.42

306.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.31

$0.40 ฿13.40

272.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 €5.55

$2.43 ฿81.8

160.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.20

$3.78 ฿127

57.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.64

$2.26 ฿76.0

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.55

$1.81 ฿60.9

61.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$2.25 ฿75.8

48.44%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.77

$2.25 ฿75.6

91.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 €10.26

$19.51 ฿656

-39.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 €11.40

$3.65 ฿123

256.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.98 €20.98

$13.05 ฿439

83.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 €1.50

$3.23 ฿109

-46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.03

$1.62 ฿54.4

43.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 €2.87

$2.38 ฿80.2

38.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 €3.50

$2.03 ฿68.2

97.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.33

$1.53 ฿51.6

74.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.50 ฿50.5

18.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.43

$0.98 ฿32.93

66.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 €0.13

$0.52 ฿17.40

-71.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 €6.19

$4.44 ฿149

59.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 €8.11

$18.32 ฿616

-49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.10

$1.86 ฿62.7

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.73

$2.68 ฿90.2

16.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.41 ฿47.49

24.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.52 €38.07

$11.70 ฿394

271.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 €7.02

$3.11 ฿105

157.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.04 ฿35.08

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.04 €34.16

$14.11 ฿475

176.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.31 ฿44.13

61.07%

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

$33.5K €29.3K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

20.47%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

8.57%

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

$218 €191

$122 ฿4,120

78.16%

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

$8.34 €7.30

$13.59 ฿457

-38.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.34 €27.42

$18.70 ฿629

67.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 €48.42

$60.5 ฿2,035

-8.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.27 €20.35

$16.98 ฿572

37.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 €10.06

$9.07 ฿305

26.68%

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

$887 €776

$706 ฿23.8K

25.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K €14.5K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

4.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €86.0

$58.6 ฿1,970

67.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.39 €25.72

$35.36 ฿1,190

-16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.9 €46.25

$115 ฿3,885

-54.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 €66.4

$83.7 ฿2,818

-9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 €423

$626 ฿21.1K

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 €361

$445 ฿15.0K

-7.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 €651

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-63.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 €548

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-58.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,063 €2,680

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-12.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,629 €2,300

$500 ฿16.8K

425.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

5.33

-39.02%

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

Last update for Alba: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Alba versus $626 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 426% 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 $93.0 in Alba versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $289 – 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 22%, 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 $2,295 per month in Alba and $1,875 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,530 in Alba and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 272% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Alba at $1,530. 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.