Cost of Living Comparison Between Lubumbashi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lubumbashi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Lubumbashi vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,716 per month in Lubumbashi vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,209 per month in Lubumbashi vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Lubumbashi is about 2% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lubumbashi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Lubumbashi 11% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

$4.56 ฿150

123.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.3 CDF 224.9K

$32.62 ฿1,073

204.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 CDF 22.3K

$8.90 ฿293

10.45%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CDF 8,866

$2.80 ฿92.2

40.00%

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

$1.08 CDF 2,444

$0.88 ฿28.94

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 CDF 4,570

$2.39 ฿78.5

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CDF 5,611

$3.71 ฿122

-33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CDF 4,457

$1.79 ฿58.8

10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CDF 2,754

$1.44 ฿47.40

-15.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 CDF 6,928

$1.58 ฿52.1

93.67%

Eggs

$2.15 CDF 4,860

$2.13 ฿69.9

0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 CDF 34.4K

$19.92 ฿655

-23.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 CDF 17.0K

$3.43 ฿113

119.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CDF 34.5K

$11.33 ฿372

34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 CDF 11.3K

$2.95 ฿97.0

69.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,750

$1.72 ฿56.6

73.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 CDF 11.5K

$2.32 ฿76.5

118.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 CDF 6,726

$2.08 ฿68.4

42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CDF 5,571

$1.47 ฿48.34

67.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CDF 6,064

$1.36 ฿44.65

97.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 CDF 2,199

$1.10 ฿36.13

-11.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CDF 2,914

$0.57 ฿18.89

126.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 CDF 9,250

$4.27 ฿140

-4.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 CDF 28.6K

$18.42 ฿606

-31.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CDF 2,679

$1.87 ฿61.5

-36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 CDF 4,662

$2.92 ฿96.1

-29.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 CDF 2,223

$2.22 ฿73.0

-55.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 CDF 10.1K

$3.03 ฿99.6

47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 CDF 22.5K

$3.93 ฿129

153.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CDF 3,313

$1.49 ฿49.06

-2.01%

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

$24.9K CDF 56.4M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-8.11%

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

$30.2K CDF 68.5M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

10.19%

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

$98.9 CDF 223.8K

$103 ฿3,380

-3.81%

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

$19.87 CDF 45.0K

$10.99 ฿361

80.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CDF 137.7K

$17.51 ฿576

247.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 CDF 167.0K

$53.5 ฿1,760

37.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$135 CDF 306.6K

$557 ฿18.3K

-75.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,533 CDF 10.3M

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-61.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.82 CDF 51.7K

$64.1 ฿2,107

-64.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.60 CDF 51.2K

$29.07 ฿956

-22.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CDF 136.9K

$96.0 ฿3,155

-36.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 CDF 191.5K

$90.3 ฿2,970

-6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 CDF 1.9M

$730 ฿24.0K

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CDF 844.4K

$500 ฿16.4K

-25.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,504 CDF 5.7M

$2,090 ฿68.7K

19.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 CDF 4.6M

$1,209 ฿39.8K

69.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,005 CDF 2.3M

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-72.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 CDF 1.1M

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-79.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 CDF 2.4M

$503 ฿16.6K

114.76%

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 Lubumbashi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Lubumbashi versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 115% higher in Lubumbashi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Lubumbashi versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $273 – making Phuket 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

Lubumbashi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,223 in Lubumbashi, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 2% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,834 per month in Lubumbashi and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lubumbashi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,223 in Lubumbashi and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Lubumbashi and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lubumbashi, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Lubumbashi 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 $1,223 in Lubumbashi to $1,253 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 Lubumbashi. 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.