Cost of Living Comparison Between Lac and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lac and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,104 per month in Lac vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Lac vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,146 per month in Lac vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Lac is about 13% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lac and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Lac 18% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 ALL 748

$4.70 ฿153

94.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.27 ALL 3,049

$45.37 ฿1,482

-17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 ALL 579

$8.43 ฿275

-16.01%

Cappuccino

$1.88 ALL 154

$2.93 ฿95.6

-35.84%

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

$1.56 ALL 128

$0.69 ฿22.40

126.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.7

$0.37 ฿11.99

116.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ALL 196

$2.41 ฿78.6

-0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ALL 267

$3.72 ฿122

-12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ALL 160

$2.23 ฿72.9

-12.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ALL 73.9

$1.83 ฿59.8

-50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 159

$2.17 ฿70.8

-10.14%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 238

$2.21 ฿72.3

31.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 ALL 755

$19.74 ฿645

-53.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ALL 628

$3.63 ฿119

111.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ALL 1,095

$13.53 ฿442

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ALL 148

$3.28 ฿107

-44.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ALL 188

$1.61 ฿52.6

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ALL 112

$2.41 ฿78.6

-43.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ALL 110

$2.08 ฿68.1

-35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 85.1

$1.53 ฿49.93

-32.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 98.2

$1.48 ฿48.36

-18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ALL 90.5

$0.99 ฿32.29

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.3

$0.51 ฿16.67

45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ALL 331

$4.41 ฿144

-8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 ALL 831

$19.38 ฿633

-47.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ALL 138

$1.78 ฿58.1

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ALL 99.3

$2.71 ฿88.6

-55.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.95

$1.37 ฿44.79

-67.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ALL 1,527

$11.39 ฿372

63.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 293

$3.02 ฿98.6

18.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 ALL 249

$0.99 ฿32.48

208.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.47 ALL 1,429

$14.10 ฿461

23.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 ALL 181

$1.36 ฿44.51

62.50%

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

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

22.73%

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

$25.9K ALL 2.1M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.38%

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

$67.0 ALL 5,481

$122 ฿3,975

-44.95%

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

$17.12 ALL 1,400

$13.57 ฿443

26.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.67 ALL 1,282

$18.31 ฿598

-14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ALL 4,498

$60.2 ฿1,967

-8.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.97 ALL 2,043

$17.14 ฿560

45.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 ALL 688

$8.69 ฿284

-3.34%

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

$95.2 ALL 7,792

$693 ฿22.6K

-86.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.30 ALL 3,788

$59.5 ฿1,944

-22.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ALL 4,324

$34.77 ฿1,136

52.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 ALL 7,558

$115 ฿3,743

-19.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ALL 11.5K

$83.3 ฿2,720

68.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.2K

$613 ฿20.0K

-25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 ALL 28.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-21.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ALL 50.9K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-70.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ALL 35.5K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-71.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,080 ALL 170.2K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-44.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 ALL 98.4K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-54.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-24.95%

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

Last update for Lac: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Lac 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Lac versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $293 – making Lac 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

Lac vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,656 per month in Lac 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 Lac, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Lac and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lac, where all-in costs run around $1,104, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Lac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lac – 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 Lac. 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.