Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $987 in Ibb versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Ibb versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,329 in Ibb versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 22% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 26% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 YER 1,633

$4.70 ฿153

45.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.65 YER 9,687

$45.37 ฿1,482

-10.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 YER 2,978

$8.43 ฿275

48.28%

Cappuccino

$2.08 YER 495

$2.93 ฿95.6

-29.01%

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

$1.60 YER 382

$0.69 ฿22.40

131.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 YER 119

$0.37 ฿11.99

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 YER 778

$2.23 ฿72.9

46.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 YER 276

$1.83 ฿59.8

-36.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 YER 1,131

$2.17 ฿70.8

118.43%

Eggs

$6.43 YER 1,531

$2.21 ฿72.3

190.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 YER 2,172

$19.74 ฿645

-53.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 YER 3,002

$3.63 ฿119

247.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.63 YER 6,585

$13.53 ฿442

104.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 YER 1,382

$3.28 ฿107

76.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 YER 517

$1.61 ฿52.6

34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 YER 1,537

$2.41 ฿78.6

167.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 YER 876

$2.08 ฿68.1

76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 YER 554

$1.53 ฿49.93

51.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 YER 481

$1.48 ฿48.36

36.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 YER 186

$0.99 ฿32.29

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 YER 334

$0.51 ฿16.67

174.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 YER 963

$4.41 ฿144

-8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 YER 496

$3.02 ฿98.6

-31.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.99 YER 952

$1.36 ฿44.51

193.38%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$90.8 YER 21.6K

$122 ฿3,975

-25.37%

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

$15.33 YER 3,652

$13.57 ฿443

12.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 YER 18.5K

$18.31 ฿598

323.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 YER 19.2K

$60.2 ฿1,967

33.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$28.67 YER 6,833

$693 ฿22.6K

-95.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 YER 791.9K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-78.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.35 YER 6,993

$59.5 ฿1,944

-50.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.95 YER 11.7K

$115 ฿3,743

-57.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 YER 13.7K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 YER 51.5K

$613 ฿20.0K

-64.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 YER 38.2K

$437 ฿14.3K

-63.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 YER 136.1K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-72.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 YER 94.1K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-73.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 YER 83.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

-30.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Ibb: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Ibb and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Ibb vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $293, with Phuket 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

Ibb vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 44% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $216 in Ibb versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $987 per month in Ibb versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibb 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, Ibb 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 Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.