Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Loei and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Loei: $1,005 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Loei, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand
Loei
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,005
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Loei and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Loei and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,005 in Loei versus $1,294 in Phuket.

  • Loei $1,005
  • Phuket $1,294

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,612 in Loei versus $2,204 in Phuket.

  • Loei $1,612
  • Phuket $2,204

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,220 in Loei versus $3,115 in Phuket.

  • Loei $2,220
  • Phuket $3,115

Living in Loei costs roughly 22% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Loei 26% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Loei
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.28 ฿111
$4.39 ฿148
-25.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.26 ฿886
$32.31 ฿1,090
-18.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.02 ฿271
$8.70 ฿294
-7.82%
Cappuccino
$2.15 ฿72.4
$2.72 ฿91.9
-20.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ฿24.41
$0.93 ฿31.39
-22.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ฿10.75
$0.50 ฿16.85
-36.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.11 ฿71.3
$2.53 ฿85.4
-16.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 ฿98.2
$3.63 ฿122
-19.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Loei
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 ฿65.1
$1.74 ฿58.7
10.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 ฿54.4
$1.45 ฿48.95
11.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 ฿50.4
$1.50 ฿50.7
-0.67%
Eggs
$2.27 ฿76.7
$2.17 ฿73.3
4.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.80 ฿634
$19.09 ฿644
-1.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.28 ฿76.9
$3.40 ฿115
-32.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.98 ฿404
$10.90 ฿368
9.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 ฿101
$2.94 ฿99.2
1.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.91 ฿30.83
$1.69 ฿57.1
-46.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 ฿74.5
$2.19 ฿74.0
0.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ฿66.7
$2.12 ฿71.7
-6.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿51.2
$1.46 ฿49.21
4.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 ฿42.91
$1.37 ฿46.15
-7.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 ฿33.84
$1.08 ฿36.30
-7.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 ฿15.32
$0.55 ฿18.41
-18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.80 ฿128
$4.43 ฿149
-14.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.74 ฿632
$18.25 ฿616
2.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 ฿55.7
$1.77 ฿59.8
-6.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 ฿97.5
$2.88 ฿97.2
0.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Loei
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.81 ฿27.48
$1.45 ฿48.84
-44.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.9 ฿1,852
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ฿45.51
$1.51 ฿51.0
-10.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.18 ฿39.70
$0.78 ฿26.18
51.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.14 ฿140
$3.84 ฿130
7.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 ฿42.74
$1.49 ฿50.2
-14.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K ฿991.5K
$26.9K ฿907.0K
9.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K ฿914.3K
$26.3K ฿888.9K
2.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Loei
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.4 ฿3,118
$97.8 ฿3,300
-5.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.86 ฿333
$11.29 ฿381
-12.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.50 ฿591
$17.19 ฿580
1.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Loei
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.98 ฿1,686
$68.3 ฿2,305
-26.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.80 ฿466
$10.92 ฿368
26.37%
Cinema Ticket
$6.29 ฿212
$7.43 ฿251
-15.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Loei
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$697 ฿23.5K
$530 ฿17.9K
31.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.3K ฿583.3K
$18.8K ฿633.7K
-7.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Loei
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3 ฿1,900
$61.7 ฿2,081
-8.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.06 ฿1,048
$28.25 ฿953
9.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.2 ฿2,606
$96.0 ฿3,239
-19.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.7 ฿2,485
$86.8 ฿2,929
-15.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Loei
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$441 ฿14.9K
$721 ฿24.3K
-38.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 ฿11.7K
$509 ฿17.2K
-31.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,153 ฿38.9K
$1,950 ฿65.8K
-40.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$784 ฿26.4K
$1,397 ฿47.1K
-43.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,351 ฿79.3K
$4,192 ฿141.4K
-43.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,710 ฿57.7K
$3,298 ฿111.3K
-48.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Loei
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$492 ฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.57
-

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

Last update for Loei: November 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Loei
$347
Phuket
$509 46.8% $162
Groceries & Markets
Loei
$261
Phuket
$267 2.1% $5.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Loei
$120
Phuket
$126 5.4% $6.5
Clothing & Footwear
Loei
$107
Phuket
$123 14.5% $16
Eating Out
Loei
$97
Phuket
$120 23.7% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Loei
$63
Phuket
$83 33% $21
Getting Around
Loei
$10 *
Phuket
$66 530% $56

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 $441 in Loei and $721 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Loei vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $267 per month, with Loei cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Loei
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
09:14 9:14 AM
09:14 9:14 AM
Same time as Loei
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
22,677
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Loei Phuket 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Loei
  • Phuket

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
Loei vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Loei and in Phuket?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,005 in Loei and $1,294 in Phuket, so Loei is about 22% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Loei compared to Phuket?
You’d need roughly $1,507 in Loei and $1,940 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Loei and in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Loei versus $721 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Loei and Phuket?
Childcare runs $697 in Loei versus $530 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Loei or Phuket?
All in, you’ll spend $1,005 per month in Loei versus $1,294 in Phuket – Loei is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $2,000 go in Loei compared to Phuket?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Loei gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Loei and Phuket?
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.
Is Loei or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Loei and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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