For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,628 in Lod, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lod and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,628 in Lod versus $1,207 in Phuket.
Lod $2,628
Phuket $1,207
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,070 in Lod versus $2,037 in Phuket.
Lod $4,070
Phuket $2,037
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,512 in Lod versus $2,867 in Phuket.
Lod $5,512
Phuket $2,867
🌍
Living in Lod is roughly 118% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Lod is 95% above, Phuket is 11% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lod
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.40₪72.8
$4.58฿153
410.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.4₪306
$32.48฿1,086
202.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$19.61₪61.0
$8.55฿286
129.36%
Cappuccino
$5.01₪15.58
$2.72฿91.0
84.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58₪11.14
$0.94฿31.25
280.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88₪8.97
$0.49฿16.39
487.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.10₪25.20
$2.59฿86.6
212.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.90₪30.80
$3.83฿128
158.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lod
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.36₪7.35
$1.74฿58.1
35.63%
White Bread(500g)
$3.32₪10.34
$1.43฿47.82
132.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.56₪11.09
$1.53฿51.0
132.68%
Eggs
$4.93₪15.34
$2.17฿72.7
127.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.36₪54.0
$19.15฿640
-9.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.46₪44.98
$3.30฿110
338.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.14₪78.2
$11.14฿372
125.67%
Apples(1kg)
$4.41₪13.71
$2.95฿98.5
49.49%
Banana(1kg)
$3.30₪10.27
$1.68฿56.1
96.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.49₪7.75
$2.30฿76.8
8.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.34₪7.27
$2.13฿71.3
9.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.87₪5.81
$1.53฿51.1
22.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.64₪5.10
$1.36฿45.55
20.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.98₪6.15
$1.12฿37.44
76.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83₪5.68
$0.55฿18.24
232.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.63₪42.41
$4.26฿142
219.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.25₪47.45
$18.19฿608
-16.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.71₪11.54
$1.74฿58.2
113.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.29₪13.36
$2.79฿93.3
53.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Lod
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.74₪8.51
$2.22฿74.1
23.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$97.5₪303
$22.06฿737
341.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.00₪12.44
$2.91฿97.3
37.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.14₪3.56
$1.01฿33.79
12.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.90₪61.9
$3.83฿128
419.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.65₪8.24
$1.49฿49.85
77.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$55.6K₪173.1K
$26.7K฿891.6K
108.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$58.2K₪181.0K
$26.7K฿892.7K
117.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lod
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$287₪892
$99.4฿3,321
188.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.63₪36.19
$11.28฿377
3.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.87₪108
$17.36฿580
100.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lod
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$73.0₪227
$52.3฿1,747
39.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.85฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.66₪45.61
$7.57฿253
93.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lod
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,420₪4,418
$558฿18.7K
154.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$29.0K₪90.3K
$11.5K฿383.9K
152.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lod
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$115₪358
$62.9฿2,102
83.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.8₪239
$28.58฿955
168.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$149₪465
$96.1฿3,213
55.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165₪513
$88.1฿2,943
87.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lod
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,435₪4,464
$729฿24.4K
96.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,004₪3,123
$460฿15.4K
118.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,310₪7,188
$2,096฿70.0K
10.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,901₪5,914
$1,222฿40.8K
55.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.7K₪33.3K
$3,459฿115.6K
209.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$7,498₪23.3K
$2,489฿83.2K
201.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lod
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,603₪8,098
$493฿16.5K
427.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.99
5.57
-10.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lod: October 11, 2026
Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lod
$1K 38.2%
Phuket
$460 38.1% ↓ 54.2%$544
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lod
$450 17.1%
Phuket
$268 22.2% ↓ 40.6%$183
🍽Eating Out
Lod
$392 14.9%
Phuket
$121 10.1% ↓ 69.1%$271
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lod
$333 12.7%
Phuket
$128 10.6% ↓ 61.6%$205
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lod
$228 8.7%
Phuket
$124 10.3% ↓ 45.5%$104
🚌Getting Around
Lod
$118 4.5%
Phuket
$39 3.2% ↓ 67.1%$79
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lod
$102 3.9%
Phuket
$67 5.6% ↓ 34.1%$35
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lod
$1.9K 34.5%
Phuket
$1.2K 42.6% ↓ 35.7%$679
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lod
$1K 18.9%
Phuket
$605 21.1% ↓ 41.8%$435
🍽Eating Out
Lod
$1.3K 23.1%
Phuket
$398 13.9% ↓ 68.8%$877
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lod
$345 6.3%
Phuket
$139 4.9% ↓ 59.6%$206
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lod
$506 9.2%
Phuket
$276 9.6% ↓ 45.5%$230
🚌Getting Around
Lod
$242 4.4%
Phuket
$82 2.9% ↓ 66%$160
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lod
$205 * 3.7%
Phuket
$146 5.1% ↓ 28.8%$59
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,435 in Lod and $729 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lod pays 428% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $98.0 in Lod vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $268 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Lod vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Lod?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lod or Phuket?
Average pay runs 428% higher in Lod, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lod and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,435 in Lod versus $729 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,420 in Lod versus $558 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Lod and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Lod. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lod or in Phuket?
At $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,628 in Lod, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lod. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lod or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lod, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lod or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Lod 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Lod. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.