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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,510 per month in Alba vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,350 per month in Alba vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Alba vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Alba costs about 19% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alba sits 13% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.17 €10.48

$4.70 ฿154

158.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 €78.9

$45.37 ฿1,483

101.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 €11.08

$8.43 ฿276

52.67%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.52

$2.93 ฿95.7

-39.59%

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

$2.95 €2.54

$0.69 ฿22.42

327.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.37 ฿12.00

289.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.22 €5.36

$2.41 ฿78.7

158.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 €4.89

$3.72 ฿122

52.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.23 ฿73.0

-20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 €2.49

$1.83 ฿59.9

57.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.72

$2.17 ฿70.9

45.62%

Eggs

$4.39 €3.78

$2.21 ฿72.4

98.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 €9.99

$19.74 ฿645

-41.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.12 €11.30

$3.63 ฿119

261.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.78 €20.48

$13.53 ฿442

75.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$3.28 ฿107

-45.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.61 ฿52.7

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 €2.87

$2.41 ฿78.7

38.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.50

$2.08 ฿68.1

95.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$1.53 ฿49.97

67.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.48 ฿48.41

19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.99 ฿32.32

71.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.14 €0.12

$0.51 ฿16.68

-72.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 €5.90

$4.41 ฿144

55.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 €8.24

$19.38 ฿634

-50.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.78 ฿58.1

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.62

$2.71 ฿88.7

12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.37 ฿44.83

29.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.11 €37.12

$11.39 ฿372

278.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 €6.73

$3.02 ฿98.7

158.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.99 ฿32.51

53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.81 €34.28

$14.10 ฿461

182.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.36 ฿44.55

50.00%

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

$33.5K €28.8K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

18.61%

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

$35.8K €30.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

8.77%

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

$217 €187

$122 ฿3,978

78.50%

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

$7.91 €6.81

$13.57 ฿444

-41.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.15 €26.82

$18.31 ฿599

70.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 €47.12

$60.2 ฿1,969

-9.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.85 €19.68

$17.14 ฿560

33.31%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 €10.03

$8.69 ฿284

34.06%

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

$876 €754

$693 ฿22.7K

26.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

6.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €86.3

$59.5 ฿1,946

68.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.91 €24.89

$34.77 ฿1,137

-16.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.5 €45.21

$115 ฿3,746

-54.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 €64.6

$83.3 ฿2,723

-9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 €418

$613 ฿20.0K

-20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 €347

$437 ฿14.3K

-7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 €643

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-64.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 €538

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-58.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,943 €2,534

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-21.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,026 €1,745

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-22.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,708 €2,332

$508 ฿16.6K

433.02%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Alba versus $613 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 $92.0 in Alba versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $293 – 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 19%, 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 $2,266 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,510 in Alba and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 278% 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 $1,265, than in Alba at $1,510. 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.