Cost of Living Comparison Between Imbabah and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Imbabah and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $422 per month in Imbabah vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $686 per month in Imbabah vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $950 per month in Imbabah vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Imbabah is about 67% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Imbabah and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Imbabah69% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.62E£185
$4.56฿149
-20.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.60E£797
$46.63฿1,519
-66.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.73E£242
$8.47฿276
-44.16%
Cappuccino
$1.51E£77.0
$3.03฿98.6
-50.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29E£14.57
$0.69฿22.45
-57.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.10E£5.05
$0.37฿11.92
-72.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.21E£62.0
$2.49฿81.0
-51.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98E£152
$3.66฿119
-18.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.60E£30.86
$2.18฿71.0
-72.48%
White Bread(500g)
$0.19E£9.45
$1.90฿62.0
-90.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.67E£34.18
$2.20฿71.6
-69.55%
Eggs
$1.46E£74.6
$2.22฿72.4
-34.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$1.45E£74.1
$19.99฿651
-92.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.14E£160
$3.66฿119
-14.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.84E£349
$13.25฿432
-48.38%
Apples(1kg)
$1.43E£73.0
$3.23฿105
-55.73%
Banana(1kg)
$0.51E£26.05
$1.70฿55.3
-70.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.39E£19.73
$2.39฿78.0
-83.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.22E£11.28
$2.08฿67.7
-89.42%
Potato(1kg)
$0.41E£20.72
$1.59฿51.8
-74.21%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41E£20.86
$1.48฿48.31
-72.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.11E£5.80
$1.03฿33.54
-89.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.19E£9.95
$0.52฿16.83
-63.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.74E£89.1
$4.25฿138
-59.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$1.93E£98.7
$18.79฿612
-89.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33E£68.0
$1.76฿57.2
-24.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93E£98.6
$2.76฿89.8
-30.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.19E£9.66
$1.36฿44.32
-86.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.53E£742
$11.36฿370
27.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.25E£12.82
$3.14฿102
-92.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.45E£23.11
$1.04฿33.74
-56.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.04E£104
$13.77฿448
-85.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.25E£12.80
$1.34฿43.79
-81.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2KE£1.8M
$27.7K฿901.4K
27.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2KE£1.7M
$33.9K฿1.1M
-1.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$11.33E£578
$124฿4,025
-90.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.84E£298
$13.52฿440
-56.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.19E£520
$18.69฿609
-45.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.01E£1,124
$61.8฿2,013
-64.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.87E£147
$9.14฿298
-68.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$24.00E£1,226
$703฿22.9K
-96.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$974E£49.7K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-93.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.78E£806
$59.5฿1,937
-73.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.89E£1,016
$35.07฿1,142
-43.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111E£5,650
$115฿3,754
-4.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.8E£2,595
$84.1฿2,737
-39.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$193E£9,852
$619฿20.1K
-68.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$101E£5,174
$433฿14.1K
-76.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$308E£15.7K
$2,062฿67.2K
-85.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$177E£9,034
$1,511฿49.2K
-88.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$785E£40.1K
$3,646฿118.7K
-78.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$362E£18.5K
$2,626฿85.5K
-86.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Imbabah
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$94.3E£4,814
$507฿16.5K
-81.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
17
5.33
218.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Imbabah: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $193 in Imbabah versus $619 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 438% higher in Phuket, 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 $16.00 in Imbabah versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89.0 vs $293 – making Imbabah 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
Imbabah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Imbabah and Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $422 in Imbabah, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 199% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Imbabah compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $633 per month in Imbabah and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Imbabah and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Imbabah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 229% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Imbabah and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imbabah, where all-in costs run around $422, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Imbabah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Imbabah and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $422 in Imbabah to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Imbabah or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Imbabah and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Imbabah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.