Cost of Living Comparison Between Byblos and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Byblos and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $992 in Byblos versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,626 in Byblos versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,261 in Byblos versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Byblos costs roughly 19% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos 28% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.24 LBP 827.3K
$4.41 ฿147
109.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.14 LBP 3.9M
$32.26 ฿1,073
33.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.06 LBP 631.7K
$8.93 ฿297
-20.94%
Cappuccino
$3.08 LBP 275.2K
$2.90 ฿96.3
6.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 LBP 87.0K
$0.88 ฿29.29
10.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 LBP 87.7K
$0.48 ฿16.01
104.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.35 ฿78.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.72 ฿124
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 LBP 112.3K
$1.87 ฿62.1
-32.62%
White Bread (500g)
$0.61 LBP 54.6K
$1.47 ฿48.78
-58.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 LBP 139.1K
$1.55 ฿51.6
-
Eggs
$2.16 LBP 193.0K
$2.10 ฿69.9
2.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.78 LBP 785.9K
$19.59 ฿652
-55.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 LBP 741.7K
$3.42 ฿114
142.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.77 LBP 1.1M
$11.38 ฿379
3.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 LBP 265.4K
$2.98 ฿99.3
-0.34%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 LBP 181.7K
$1.68 ฿56.1
20.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.99 LBP 88.4K
$2.21 ฿73.5
-55.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 LBP 176.8K
$2.16 ฿71.9
-8.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 LBP 88.2K
$1.52 ฿50.7
-34.87%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 LBP 88.4K
$1.34 ฿44.52
-26.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 LBP 88.3K
$1.13 ฿37.55
-12.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 LBP 87.6K
$0.55 ฿18.18
78.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.26 ฿142
-
Wine (Bottle)
$3.94 LBP 352.2K
$19.09 ฿635
-79.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 LBP 139.8K
$1.78 ฿59.2
-12.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 LBP 174.5K
$2.78 ฿92.6
-29.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 LBP 90.4K
$2.23 ฿74.2
-54.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.74 ฿756
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.03 ฿101
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 LBP 87.8K
$1.02 ฿34.04
-3.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.89 ฿129
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 LBP 81.0K
$1.49 ฿49.60
-39.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K LBP 2.0B
$26.6K ฿884.4K
-14.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K LBP 2.0B
$27.0K ฿899.3K
-16.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 LBP 9.0M
$102 ฿3,409
-1.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.88 LBP 2.0M
$11.33 ฿377
101.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.04 LBP 2.2M
$17.40 ฿579
43.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.03 LBP 3.4M
$52.1 ฿1,733
-26.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$39.82 LBP 3.6M
$11.07 ฿368
259.71%
Cinema Ticket
$10.08 LBP 902.2K
$7.69 ฿256
31.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$402 LBP 36.0M
$561 ฿18.7K
-28.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,973 LBP 266.1M
$11.5K ฿382.8K
-74.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 LBP 9.0M
$63.0 ฿2,097
59.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$99.8 LBP 8.9M
$29.52 ฿982
238.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 LBP 10.8M
$98.0 ฿3,261
23.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$149 LBP 13.3M
$88.5 ฿2,944
68.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$294 LBP 26.3M
$738 ฿24.6K
-60.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$226 LBP 20.3M
$482 ฿16.0K
-53.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$815 LBP 72.9M
$2,107 ฿70.1K
-61.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$397 LBP 35.5M
$1,226 ฿40.8K
-67.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,340 LBP 119.9M
$3,617 ฿120.3K
-62.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$849 LBP 76.0M
$2,603 ฿86.6K
-67.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Byblos
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$991 LBP 88.7M
$494 ฿16.4K
100.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8
5.57
43.63%

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

Last update for Byblos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Byblos and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 101% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Byblos vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $274, with Byblos 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
Byblos vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Byblos?
Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Byblos or Phuket?
Average pay runs 101% higher in Byblos, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Byblos and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $294 in Byblos versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $402 in Byblos versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Byblos or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Byblos – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Byblos or in Phuket?
At $992 in Byblos versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Byblos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Byblos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Byblos or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Byblos 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.
Which city is safer, Byblos or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Byblos 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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