Cost of Living Comparison Between Juba and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Juba and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,172 per month in Juba vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,854 per month in Juba vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,536 per month in Juba vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Juba costs about 151% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Juba sits 137% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 SSP 14.4K

$4.70 ฿153

8.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.89 SSP 132.0K

$45.37 ฿1,482

3.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 SSP 19.6K

$8.43 ฿275

-17.56%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.97 SSP 2,732

$0.69 ฿22.40

40.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

Eggs

$2.04 SSP 5,749

$2.21 ฿72.3

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SSP 1,447

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

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)

$7.03 SSP 19.8K

$3.02 ฿98.6

132.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 SSP 4,137

$1.36 ฿44.51

8.09%

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)

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 SSP 283.0K

$18.31 ฿598

449.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$348 SSP 979.5K

$60.2 ฿1,967

477.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,536 SSP 10.0M

$613 ฿20.0K

476.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,659 SSP 7.5M

$437 ฿14.3K

508.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$12.0K SSP 33.8M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

474.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 SSP 3.7M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-13.24%

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)

$1,784 SSP 5.0M

$508 ฿16.6K

251.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

125.14%

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

Last update for Juba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,536 in Juba versus $613 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 251% higher in Juba, 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 $47.00 in Juba versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $14.00 in Juba vs $293 in Phuket – so Juba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Juba vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Juba is pricier by about 151%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,758 per month in Juba and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1943% cheaper in Juba – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Juba and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Juba at $3,172. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Juba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Juba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.