Cost of Living Comparison Between Lome and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lome and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $590 in Lome versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,024 in Lome versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,458 in Lome versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Lome costs roughly 53% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lome 57% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 F CFA 1,743

$4.66 ฿154

-33.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 F CFA 18.2K

$32.22 ฿1,065

-0.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 F CFA 3,186

$8.68 ฿287

-35.02%

Cappuccino

$6.16 F CFA 3,481

$2.90 ฿95.8

112.41%

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

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

$0.84 ฿27.89

408.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 F CFA 415

$0.49 ฿16.16

51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 F CFA 527

$2.48 ฿82.0

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,010

$3.73 ฿123

-52.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 F CFA 1,291

$1.89 ฿62.3

20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 F CFA 762

$1.41 ฿46.54

-4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 F CFA 859

$1.62 ฿53.6

-6.17%

Eggs

$2.02 F CFA 1,139

$2.24 ฿74.1

-9.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 F CFA 3,288

$11.37 ฿376

-48.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 F CFA 1,774

$2.90 ฿95.8

8.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 991

$1.72 ฿57.0

1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 F CFA 1,481

$2.13 ฿70.4

23.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 F CFA 977

$1.47 ฿48.72

17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 F CFA 692

$1.42 ฿46.92

-14.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 520

$0.60 ฿19.76

53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 F CFA 2,783

$18.60 ฿615

-73.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 F CFA 658

$1.80 ฿59.5

-35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 F CFA 827

$2.97 ฿98.0

-50.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 F CFA 681

$1.08 ฿35.56

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 F CFA 2,497

$3.87 ฿128

14.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 F CFA 671

$1.43 ฿47.16

-16.78%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

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

$148 F CFA 83.8K

$105 ฿3,462

41.53%

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

$22.34 F CFA 12.6K

$11.39 ฿376

96.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 F CFA 24.9K

$17.54 ฿580

151.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 F CFA 34.8K

$54.3 ฿1,795

13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 F CFA 5,090

$11.44 ฿378

-21.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 F CFA 2,547

$7.78 ฿257

-42.03%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 F CFA 691.5K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-42.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 F CFA 170.3K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-75.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 F CFA 174.6K

$508 ฿16.8K

-39.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Lome: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 64% 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: $32.00 in Lome vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $275 per month, with Lome cheaper across the board.

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

Lome vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lome wins on cost – living expenses run 114% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 64% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $590 per month in Lome versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $590 in Lome versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lome but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lome hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lome 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 Lome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.