Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and AbujaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Abuja
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,687 in Abuja.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,850 in Abuja.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,012 in Abuja.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 27% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Abuja is 26% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$2.04₦2,812
126.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$44.83₦61.7K
4.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$5.70₦7,846
55.09%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.54₦3,501
18.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.55₦760
34.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.42₦573
-11.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.07₦1,478
128.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$1.19₦1,639
203.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$3.03₦4,179
-25.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.25₦1,725
47.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$2.51₦3,457
-10.76%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.50₦2,072
54.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$5.30₦7,292
271.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$4.60₦6,335
-20.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$3.94₦5,429
232.49%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$3.07₦4,223
10.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.77₦2,442
-7.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.19₦3,009
10.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.74₦2,398
16.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.16₦2,967
-27.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.53₦3,486
-40.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.61₦835
67.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.29₦395
68.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.46₦3,390
80.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$7.09₦9,760
166.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.10₦1,518
61.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$1.43₦1,964
92.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.64₦883
118.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.91₦1,247
242.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.02₦1,408
-1.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$4.29₦5,901
228.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.77₦1,060
75.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$30.29₦41.7K
312.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$10.91₦15.0K
24.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$42.37₦58.3K
-56.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$43.96₦60.5K
39.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$10.60₦14.6K
58.87%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$8.26₦11.4K
11.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$132₦181.5K
429.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$1,979₦2.7M
688.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$29.71₦40.9K
94.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$29.33₦40.4K
20.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$68.0₦93.7K
66.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$85.3₦117.4K
1.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$2,487₦3.4M
-75.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$1,147₦1.6M
-61.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$5,558₦7.7M
-63.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$2,731₦3.8M
-45.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$1,141₦1.6M
231.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,125₦1.5M
135.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Abuja
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$285₦392.1K
83.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
22.5
-76.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Abuja: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $2,487 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $193 per month, with Abuja 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
Phuket vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Abuja?
Phuket and Abuja differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,687 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Abuja?
Phuket pays 84% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Abuja?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $2,487 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Abuja?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $132 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,687 in Abuja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Abuja?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Abuja safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Abuja are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Abuja?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.