Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $837 in Assela versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,221 in Assela versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,606 in Assela versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Assela costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assela 39% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 ETB 648

$4.41 ฿147

-8.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.86 ETB 6,725

$32.26 ฿1,077

29.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 ETB 1,018

$8.93 ฿298

-29.12%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 153

$2.90 ฿96.6

-67.24%

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

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.88 ฿29.38

-28.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ETB 104

$0.48 ฿16.06

35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 130

$2.35 ฿78.5

-65.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ETB 368

$3.72 ฿124

-38.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.87 ฿62.3

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ETB 189

$1.47 ฿48.94

-19.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ETB 340

$1.55 ฿51.8

36.77%

Eggs

$1.73 ETB 278

$2.10 ฿70.1

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 ETB 1,182

$19.59 ฿654

-62.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.30 ETB 1,655

$3.42 ฿114

201.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.05 ETB 1,454

$11.38 ฿380

-20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 ETB 842

$2.98 ฿99.6

75.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.68 ฿56.2

-61.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ETB 358

$2.21 ฿73.7

0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ETB 106

$2.16 ฿72.1

-69.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 79.9

$1.52 ฿50.9

-67.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ETB 174

$1.34 ฿44.67

-19.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 112

$1.13 ฿37.67

-38.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 92.5

$0.55 ฿18.24

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.19 ETB 1,315

$4.26 ฿142

92.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ETB 915

$19.09 ฿637

-70.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ETB 113

$1.78 ฿59.4

-60.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ETB 195

$2.78 ฿92.9

-56.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ETB 214

$3.03 ฿101

-56.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.93

$1.02 ฿34.15

-71.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ETB 319

$3.89 ฿130

-48.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

$1.49 ฿49.77

-34.90%

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

$54.1K ETB 8.7M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

103.45%

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

$54.8K ETB 8.8M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

102.59%

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

$203 ETB 32.6K

$102 ฿3,420

97.75%

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

$7.47 ETB 1,200

$11.33 ฿378

-34.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$215 ETB 34.6K

$17.40 ฿581

1137.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ETB 615

$7.69 ฿257

-50.20%

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

$137 ETB 22.0K

$561 ฿18.7K

-75.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K ETB 4.8M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

161.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.34 ETB 5,355

$63.0 ฿2,104

-47.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.6 ETB 11.3K

$29.52 ฿986

139.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 ETB 12.7K

$98.0 ฿3,272

-19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 ETB 13.2K

$88.5 ฿2,954

-7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

5.57

232.14%

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

Last update for Assela: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Assela vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $274, with Assela cheaper for home cooking.

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

Assela vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,256 in Assela and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $137 in Assela versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $837 in Assela versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Assela and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.