Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Aba

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $402 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Aba, Nigeria
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Aba
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$402
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Aba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Aba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $402 in Aba, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Aba $402

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $653 in Aba, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Aba $653

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $904 in Aba, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Aba $904

Phuket costs about 218% more than Aba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Phuket and Aba are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Aba 70% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Aba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$7.21 ₦9,667
22.19%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$0.87 ₦1,172
225.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$2.07 ₦2,770
23.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$2.42 ₦3,243
52.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Aba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$3.71 ₦4,968
-55.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$2.21 ₦2,960
-33.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
-
-
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$11.26 ₦15.1K
69.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$1.27 ₦1,700
759.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$5.14 ₦6,889
-43.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$0.55 ₦735
207.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$3.44 ₦4,614
-56.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.15 ₦1,541
-6.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.16 ₦209
225.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$1.45 ₦1,947
189.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$7.18 ₦9,628
161.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.24 ₦1,657
46.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$1.43 ₦1,922
98.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Aba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$9.28 ₦12.4K
510.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$6,017 ₦8.1M
345.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$7,453 ₦10.0M
258.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Aba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$113 ₦151.4K
-14.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$2.19 ₦2,941
414.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$44.64 ₦59.8K
-62.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Aba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$2.13 ₦2,861
252.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Aba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$1,047 ₦1.4M
975.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Aba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$15.04 ₦20.2K
526.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$18.61 ₦24.9K
361.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Aba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$136 ₦181.8K
427.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$443 ₦594.3K
334.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$221 ₦296.8K
546.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$1,057 ₦1.4M
294.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$461 ₦618.2K
560.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Aba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$95.0 ₦127.3K
428.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
12
-53.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aba: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Aba
–
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Aba
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Aba
–
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Aba
–
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Aba
–
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Aba
–
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Aba
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $136 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 in Phuket are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇳🇬 Aba
🕒 Local time
00:40 12:40 AM
18:40 6:40 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
1,020,900
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Aba 10,040 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Aba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Aba cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 218%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $603 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $136 there versus $716 in Phuket.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Aba?
Groceries cost about 60% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 84% less in Aba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Aba?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aba, where all-in costs run around $402, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Aba?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $402 in Aba to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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