Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ajdabiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ajdabiya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $124 in Ajdabiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $198 in Ajdabiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $271 in Ajdabiya.

Living in Phuket is roughly 920% more expensive than Ajdabiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ajdabiya 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.06 LYD 51.2

67.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.48 LYD 9.41

121.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.11 LYD 7.06

45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.75 LYD 4.78

221.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.45 LYD 2.84

362.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.45 LYD 2.85

240.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.48 LYD 3.02

208.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.18 LYD 1.17

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.80 LYD 11.40

145.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.95 LYD 6.00

217.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

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

$129 LYD 817

376.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$72.5 LYD 460

503.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$273 LYD 1,731

668.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$147 LYD 931

929.07%

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

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 Ajdabiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $129 in Ajdabiya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Ajdabiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ajdabiya wins on cost – living expenses run 920% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ajdabiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $186 in Ajdabiya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $129 in Ajdabiya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 510% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $124 in Ajdabiya – a 920% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $124 in Ajdabiya versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ajdabiya but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ajdabiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ajdabiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $124 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ajdabiya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ajdabiya 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 Ajdabiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 920% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.