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 $246 per month in Lihir Island vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $456 per month in Lihir Island vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $667 per month in Lihir Island vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Lihir Island is about 80% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lihir Island and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Lihir Island 82% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 PGK 20.61

$4.63 ฿151

2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.49 PGK 124

$46.84 ฿1,532

-39.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 PGK 25.63

$8.84 ฿289

-33.26%

Cappuccino

$2.42 PGK 10.51

$3.00 ฿98.0

-19.33%

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

$0.70 PGK 3.02

$0.74 ฿24.25

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PGK 3.06

$0.37 ฿11.95

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 PGK 15.81

$2.44 ฿79.8

49.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PGK 10.46

$3.61 ฿118

-33.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 PGK 7.16

$2.26 ฿73.9

-26.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 PGK 6.36

$1.84 ฿60.1

-20.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 PGK 6.37

$2.24 ฿73.4

-34.38%

Eggs

$2.32 PGK 10.09

$2.32 ฿75.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 PGK 18.96

$3.65 ฿119

19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.36 PGK 10.26

$13.10 ฿428

-81.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 PGK 6.20

$1.64 ฿53.7

-12.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 PGK 10.53

$1.56 ฿50.9

55.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PGK 4.06

$1.50 ฿48.94

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.18

$0.49 ฿16.00

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 PGK 25.49

$4.45 ฿145

31.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.29 PGK 40.32

$18.88 ฿617

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 PGK 10.36

$1.78 ฿58.1

34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 PGK 10.54

$2.75 ฿90.1

-11.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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)

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Lihir Island versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $134 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: $246 in Lihir Island, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 401% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $369 per month in Lihir Island and $1,847 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 $28.00 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 $246 in Lihir Island and $1,232 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 $246, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $246 in Lihir Island to $1,232 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.