Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Adama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Adama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,114 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,756 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,399 in Adama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 11% more than Adama, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Adama 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.05 ETB 477

51.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$35.58 ETB 5,561

31.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.04 ETB 788

75.40%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.28 ETB 201

134.38%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.67 ETB 105

10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.31 ETB 48.66

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.01 ETB 158

141.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.96 ETB 463

21.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.46 ETB 228

54.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.27 ETB 199

44.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.12 ETB 332

5.66%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.52 ETB 393

-7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.27 ETB 1,137

170.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$13.73 ETB 2,145

-73.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$13.38 ETB 2,091

-2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$6.79 ETB 1,061

-50.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.02 ETB 160

60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.23 ETB 349

8.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.92 ETB 144

120.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.63 ETB 98.2

147.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.91 ETB 299

-21.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.70 ETB 110

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.63 ETB 98.5

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.92 ETB 613

13.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.74 ETB 896

228.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.04 ETB 162

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.82 ETB 284

51.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.45 ETB 226

115.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.29 ETB 45.92

244.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$2.03 ETB 317

594.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.30 ETB 202

3.85%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$54.4K ETB 8.5M

-50.05%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$54.8K ETB 8.6M

-39.93%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$162 ETB 25.3K

-22.90%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$12.16 ETB 1,900

11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$133 ETB 20.8K

-86.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.87 ETB 917

56.56%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$79.7 ETB 12.5K

776.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$39.9K ETB 6.2M

-60.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$48.05 ETB 7,509

20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$74.0 ETB 11.6K

-52.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$94.1 ETB 14.7K

20.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$116 ETB 18.1K

-25.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$496 ETB 77.6K

24.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$304 ETB 47.5K

46.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$982 ETB 153.5K

108.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$813 ETB 127.1K

83.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$102 ETB 15.9K

414.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-68.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Adama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $496 in Adama. 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 415% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $266 – making Adama 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 Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,114 in Adama – roughly 11% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,671 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Adama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $36.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Adama, where all-in costs run around $1,114, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Adama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,114 in Adama to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Adama. 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.