Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilanga and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilanga and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $600 in Chilanga versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $955 in Chilanga versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,310 in Chilanga versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Chilanga costs roughly 51% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chilanga 56% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 ZMW 115

$4.41 ฿147

33.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.85 ZMW 603

$32.26 ฿1,077

-4.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ZMW 101

$8.93 ฿298

-42.33%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZMW 55.8

$2.90 ฿96.6

-1.38%

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

$0.80 ZMW 15.68

$0.88 ฿29.38

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ZMW 9.84

$0.48 ฿16.06

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ZMW 24.99

$2.35 ฿78.5

-45.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ZMW 47.02

$3.72 ฿124

-35.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ZMW 35.68

$1.87 ฿62.3

-2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ZMW 24.70

$1.47 ฿48.94

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ZMW 41.08

$1.55 ฿51.8

35.48%

Eggs

$2.03 ZMW 39.58

$2.10 ฿70.1

-3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ZMW 211

$19.59 ฿654

-44.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ZMW 125

$3.42 ฿114

86.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.61 ZMW 129

$11.38 ฿380

-41.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ZMW 67.8

$2.98 ฿99.6

16.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ZMW 49.80

$1.68 ฿56.2

51.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 ZMW 72.0

$2.21 ฿73.7

66.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ZMW 31.62

$2.16 ฿72.1

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ZMW 50.6

$1.52 ฿50.9

70.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 ZMW 36.06

$1.34 ฿44.67

38.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 22.50

$1.13 ฿37.67

1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ZMW 16.10

$0.55 ฿18.24

49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ZMW 59.5

$4.26 ฿142

-28.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 ZMW 200

$19.09 ฿637

-46.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ZMW 28.26

$1.78 ฿59.4

-18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 45.79

$2.78 ฿92.9

-15.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 52.5

$3.03 ฿101

-11.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 ZMW 31.22

$1.02 ฿34.15

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 ZMW 101

$3.89 ฿130

33.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZMW 31.61

$1.49 ฿49.77

8.72%

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

$7,842 ZMW 153.1K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-70.50%

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

$27.0K ZMW 528.2K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

0.06%

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

$83.2 ZMW 1,625

$102 ฿3,420

-18.79%

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

$10.89 ZMW 213

$11.33 ฿378

-3.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 ZMW 1,129

$17.40 ฿581

232.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 ZMW 119

$7.69 ฿257

-20.94%

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

$141 ZMW 2,754

$561 ฿18.7K

-74.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ZMW 329.1K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

46.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.11 ZMW 471

$63.0 ฿2,104

-61.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.96 ZMW 312

$29.52 ฿986

-45.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.08 ZMW 900

$98.0 ฿3,272

-52.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ZMW 1,468

$88.5 ฿2,954

-15.10%

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 %)

5.57

420.65%

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

Last update for Chilanga: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in Chilanga vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $274 per month, with Chilanga cheaper across the board.

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

Chilanga vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilanga and Phuket differ by about 105% in total monthly costs ($600 vs $1,232 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $900 in Chilanga 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 $141 in Chilanga 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 Chilanga – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $600 in Chilanga versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chilanga 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 Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.