Cost of Living Comparison Between Lukavac and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lukavac and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $980 in Lukavac versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,434 in Lukavac versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,888 in Lukavac versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Lukavac costs roughly 23% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lukavac 29% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 BAM 8.79

$4.66 ฿153

12.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.69 BAM 49.86

$32.22 ฿1,060

-7.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 BAM 9.70

$8.68 ฿286

-33.53%

Cappuccino

$1.68 BAM 2.83

$2.90 ฿95.4

-42.07%

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

$1.80 BAM 3.02

$0.84 ฿27.78

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 BAM 2.09

$0.49 ฿16.10

153.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 BAM 4.01

$2.48 ฿81.7

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 BAM 3.69

$3.73 ฿123

-41.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 1.95

$1.89 ฿62.0

-38.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 BAM 1.56

$1.41 ฿46.36

-34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 BAM 3.50

$1.62 ฿53.4

29.01%

Eggs

$2.61 BAM 4.39

$2.24 ฿73.8

16.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 BAM 17.15

$19.84 ฿653

-48.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 BAM 12.84

$3.48 ฿114

119.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 BAM 18.49

$11.37 ฿374

-3.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 BAM 1.98

$2.90 ฿95.4

-59.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 BAM 3.10

$1.72 ฿56.8

6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 BAM 2.34

$2.27 ฿74.8

-38.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.01

$2.13 ฿70.2

-43.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.41

$1.47 ฿48.53

-42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 BAM 1.16

$1.42 ฿46.73

-51.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 BAM 1.26

$1.10 ฿36.11

-31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.17

$0.60 ฿19.68

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 BAM 6.84

$4.31 ฿142

-5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.21 BAM 7.06

$18.60 ฿612

-77.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BAM 1.39

$1.80 ฿59.3

-53.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.53

$2.97 ฿97.6

-69.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 BAM 2.19

$2.25 ฿73.9

-42.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 BAM 104

$23.49 ฿773

163.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 BAM 3.05

$3.10 ฿102

-41.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.95

$1.08 ฿35.42

-48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 BAM 10.06

$3.87 ฿127

54.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 BAM 2.57

$1.43 ฿46.97

6.99%

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

$31.8K BAM 53.4K

$27.8K ฿914.4K

14.33%

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

$22.2K BAM 37.4K

$27.0K ฿888.0K

-17.57%

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

$123 BAM 207

$105 ฿3,449

17.76%

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

$18.67 BAM 31.36

$11.39 ฿375

63.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.84 BAM 45.08

$17.54 ฿577

53.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.68 BAM 56.6

$54.3 ฿1,788

-38.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 BAM 9.69

$7.78 ฿256

-25.84%

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

$152 BAM 255

$576 ฿19.0K

-73.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,044 BAM 6,793

$11.6K ฿381.2K

-65.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 BAM 99.6

$63.6 ฿2,094

-6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 BAM 56.6

$29.10 ฿958

15.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 BAM 166

$96.2 ฿3,167

2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 BAM 143

$90.0 ฿2,962

-5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 BAM 592

$733 ฿24.1K

-51.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 BAM 431

$501 ฿16.5K

-48.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 BAM 899

$2,126 ฿70.0K

-74.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 BAM 643

$1,252 ฿41.2K

-69.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,539 BAM 4,264

$3,534 ฿116.3K

-28.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,784 BAM 2,996

$2,622 ฿86.3K

-31.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 BAM 1,002

$508 ฿16.7K

17.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

5.57

-22.80%

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

Last update for Lukavac: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $352 in Lukavac and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lukavac pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Lukavac vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $275 per month, with Lukavac 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

Lukavac vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lukavac wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lukavac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Lukavac, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $352 in Lukavac versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $980 per month in Lukavac versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lukavac runs roughly 163% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $980 in Lukavac versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lukavac but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lukavac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lukavac delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $980 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lukavac hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lukavac 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 Lukavac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.