Cost of Living Comparison Between Limbe and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Limbe and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Limbe versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $927 in Limbe versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,188 in Limbe versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Limbe costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Limbe 50% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 FCFA 2,566

$4.55 ฿153

-1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

Cappuccino

$1.13 FCFA 646

$3.06 ฿103

-63.07%

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

$1.64 FCFA 939

$0.73 ฿24.42

124.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 496

$0.40 ฿13.40

115.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 FCFA 1,037

$2.43 ฿81.8

-25.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 FCFA 1,533

$3.78 ฿127

-29.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 FCFA 1,500

$2.26 ฿76.0

15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 FCFA 965

$2.25 ฿75.8

-25.33%

Eggs

$2.18 FCFA 1,248

$2.25 ฿75.6

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 FCFA 5,476

$19.51 ฿656

-51.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 FCFA 2,824

$3.65 ฿123

34.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 FCFA 3,691

$13.05 ฿439

-50.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 FCFA 1,128

$3.23 ฿109

-39.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 FCFA 662

$1.62 ฿54.4

-29.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 FCFA 1,104

$2.38 ฿80.2

-19.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 FCFA 1,143

$2.03 ฿68.2

-1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 FCFA 1,126

$1.53 ฿51.6

28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FCFA 529

$0.98 ฿32.93

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 FCFA 1,025

$0.52 ฿17.40

244.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 FCFA 1,562

$4.44 ฿149

-38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 FCFA 5,059

$18.32 ฿616

-51.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 FCFA 1,124

$1.86 ฿62.7

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 FCFA 1,502

$2.68 ฿90.2

-2.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 FCFA 514

$1.41 ฿47.49

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 FCFA 15.0K

$11.70 ฿394

123.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 FCFA 311

$3.11 ฿105

-82.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 FCFA 121

$1.04 ฿35.08

-79.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 FCFA 1,035

$14.11 ฿475

-87.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 FCFA 685

$1.31 ฿44.13

-9.16%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$89.3 FCFA 51.2K

$122 ฿4,120

-27.07%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.2 FCFA 48.9K

$18.70 ฿629

355.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 FCFA 25.4K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-26.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 FCFA 2,508

$9.07 ฿305

-51.82%

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

$356 FCFA 204.4K

$706 ฿23.8K

-49.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,798 FCFA 1.0M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-88.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 FCFA 67.1K

$626 ฿21.1K

-81.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 FCFA 65.6K

$445 ฿15.0K

-74.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 FCFA 204.3K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-82.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 FCFA 118.4K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-86.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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 Limbe: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Limbe and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Limbe vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Limbe and Phuket differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($666 vs $1,250 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,000 in Limbe and $1,875 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $117 in Limbe versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $356 in Limbe versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Limbe runs roughly 124% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Limbe versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Limbe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Limbe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Limbe and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Limbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.