Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $513 in Aba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $744 in Aba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $975 in Aba, rent included.

Phuket costs about 146% more than Aba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Aba are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Aba 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.30 ₦7,213

-11.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$10.48 ₦14.3K

332.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.20 ₦7,084

62.12%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.38 ₦514

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.27 ₦368

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.02 ₦1,391

136.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.28 ₦1,743

190.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.05 ₦2,788

-10.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$4.11 ₦5,596

-47.20%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.44 ₦3,321

-9.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$1.50 ₦2,049

1216.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.30 ₦7,222

-31.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.41 ₦552

487.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.51 ₦690

307.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.28 ₦1,749

19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.55 ₦743

169.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.19 ₦1,620

270.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.36 ₦10.0K

163.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.55 ₦743

149.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.51 ₦688

492.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.48 ₦657

106.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.10 ₦2,856

571.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.68 ₦925

100.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$12.78 ₦17.4K

371.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$6.46 ₦8,801

165.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$92.0 ₦125.3K

653.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$21.13 ₦28.8K

181.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$15.60 ₦21.3K

122.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$519 ₦706.7K

18.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$314 ₦428.2K

39.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$792 ₦1.1M

164.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$469 ₦638.1K

222.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$95.1 ₦129.5K

434.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $519 in Aba. 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 434% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $10.00 in Aba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $102 – making Aba 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

Phuket vs Aba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 146%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $770 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $513 in Aba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $92.0 in Aba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aba, where all-in costs run around $513, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Aba. 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.