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: $887 in Lukavac versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Lukavac versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Lukavac versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Lukavac costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lukavac 34% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 BAM 8.84

$4.55 ฿153

13.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.66 BAM 38.75

$46.18 ฿1,554

-50.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 BAM 8.25

$8.84 ฿298

-45.48%

Cappuccino

$1.17 BAM 2.00

$3.06 ฿103

-61.76%

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

$1.79 BAM 3.06

$0.73 ฿24.42

145.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.46

$0.40 ฿13.40

115.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 BAM 2.97

$2.43 ฿81.8

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BAM 3.05

$3.78 ฿127

-52.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 BAM 1.90

$2.26 ฿76.0

-50.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 BAM 1.58

$1.81 ฿60.9

-49.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 BAM 4.12

$2.25 ฿75.8

7.11%

Eggs

$2.38 BAM 4.07

$2.25 ฿75.6

5.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 BAM 17.23

$19.51 ฿656

-48.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 BAM 12.34

$3.65 ฿123

97.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.36 BAM 22.85

$13.05 ฿439

2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 BAM 2.11

$3.23 ฿109

-61.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 BAM 2.75

$1.62 ฿54.4

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.17

$2.38 ฿80.2

-22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.97

$2.03 ฿68.2

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 BAM 1.34

$1.53 ฿51.6

-49.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 BAM 1.18

$1.50 ฿50.5

-54.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 BAM 1.69

$0.98 ฿32.93

1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 BAM 1.64

$0.52 ฿17.40

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 BAM 5.96

$4.44 ฿149

-21.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.01 BAM 6.86

$18.32 ฿616

-78.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.86 ฿62.7

-34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 BAM 3.42

$2.68 ฿90.2

-25.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 BAM 3.10

$1.41 ฿47.49

28.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.85 BAM 59.6

$11.70 ฿394

197.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 BAM 3.04

$3.11 ฿105

-42.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.88

$1.04 ฿35.08

5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.79 BAM 18.45

$14.11 ฿475

-23.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 BAM 2.49

$1.31 ฿44.13

11.45%

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

$24.0K BAM 41.1K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-13.62%

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

$26.3K BAM 45.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-20.75%

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

$124 BAM 211

$122 ฿4,120

0.97%

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

$19.33 BAM 33.05

$13.59 ฿457

42.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.26 BAM 48.32

$18.70 ฿629

51.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.00 BAM 51.3

$60.5 ฿2,035

-50.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.98 BAM 18.78

$16.98 ฿572

-35.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 BAM 9.85

$9.07 ฿305

-36.49%

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

$152 BAM 259

$706 ฿23.8K

-78.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,314 BAM 5,668

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-79.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 BAM 123

$58.6 ฿1,970

22.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 BAM 59.7

$35.36 ฿1,190

-1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 BAM 170

$115 ฿3,885

-14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 BAM 206

$83.7 ฿2,818

43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 BAM 435

$626 ฿21.1K

-59.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 BAM 295

$445 ฿15.0K

-61.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 BAM 616

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-82.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 534

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-79.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,531 BAM 4,329

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-27.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,794 BAM 3,068

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-30.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$578 BAM 988

$500 ฿16.8K

15.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

5.33

-22.33%

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

Last update for Lukavac: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Lukavac and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lukavac pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Lukavac vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $289 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 41% 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 16% 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: $254 in Lukavac versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $887 per month in Lukavac versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lukavac runs roughly 198% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $887 in Lukavac versus $1,250 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 $887 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 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.