Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihir Island and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihir Island and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $230 per month in Lihir Island vs $1,223 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $428 per month in Lihir Island vs $2,237 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $626 per month in Lihir Island vs $3,251 in Phuket, rent included.

Lihir Island is about 81% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lihir Island and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Lihir Island 83% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 PGK 21.22

$4.51 ฿148

7.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.98 PGK 127

$46.62 ฿1,528

-37.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 PGK 25.60

$8.49 ฿278

-30.98%

Cappuccino

$2.38 PGK 10.39

$3.08 ฿101

-22.73%

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

$0.68 PGK 2.99

$0.68 ฿22.26

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 PGK 3.00

$0.36 ฿11.84

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 PGK 15.22

$2.43 ฿79.5

43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 PGK 10.68

$3.63 ฿119

-32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 PGK 7.52

$2.19 ฿71.7

-21.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 PGK 6.45

$1.81 ฿59.5

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PGK 6.20

$2.23 ฿73.1

-36.32%

Eggs

$2.37 PGK 10.34

$2.24 ฿73.3

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 PGK 19.26

$3.72 ฿122

18.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.34 PGK 10.24

$13.47 ฿441

-82.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 PGK 6.24

$1.62 ฿53.0

-11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 PGK 10.75

$1.53 ฿50.2

60.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PGK 4.36

$1.45 ฿47.59

-31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 PGK 1.99

$0.48 ฿15.86

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 PGK 26.49

$4.27 ฿140

42.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 PGK 10.60

$1.84 ฿60.2

32.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PGK 10.37

$2.74 ฿89.8

-13.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,997

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

$13.93 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

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

$691 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

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 Lihir Island: June 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Lihir Island versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $292 – making Lihir Island 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

Lihir Island vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $230 in Lihir Island, $1,223 in Phuket – roughly 433% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $344 per month in Lihir Island and $1,835 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Lihir Island and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $230 in Lihir Island and $1,223 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lihir Island, where all-in costs run around $230, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Lihir Island it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $230 in Lihir Island to $1,223 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lihir Island. 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.