Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Akbuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Akbuk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,097 in Akbuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,755 in Akbuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,413 in Akbuk, rent included.

Phuket costs about 15% more than Akbuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Akbuk are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Akbuk 18% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿149
$7.40 ₺342
-38.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 ฿1,519
$46.59 ₺2,155
0.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 ฿276
$6.99 ₺324
21.17%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ฿98.6
$2.77 ₺128
9.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.45
$1.67 ₺77.3
-58.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.92
$0.43 ₺19.78
-13.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 ฿81.0
$3.09 ₺143
-19.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿119
$3.98 ₺184
-8.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ฿71.0
$0.87 ₺40.32
150.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ฿62.0
$1.01 ₺46.61
88.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ฿71.6
$1.49 ₺69.1
47.65%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿72.4
$1.74 ₺80.3
27.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 ฿651
$8.20 ₺379
143.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ฿119
$5.45 ₺252
-32.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 ฿432
$19.05 ₺881
-30.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿105
$1.14 ₺52.9
183.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.3
$2.14 ₺98.9
-20.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿78.0
$1.05 ₺48.45
127.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿67.7
$1.11 ₺51.3
87.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿51.8
$0.56 ₺25.68
183.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.31
$0.42 ₺19.38
252.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.54
$1.27 ₺58.6
-18.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿16.83
$0.31 ₺14.54
67.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 ฿138
$2.12 ₺97.9
100.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿612
$12.80 ₺592
46.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ฿57.2
$1.63 ₺75.3
7.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ฿89.8
$2.15 ₺99.5
28.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 ฿44.32
$0.62 ₺28.89
119.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 ฿370
$30.56 ₺1,414
-62.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 ฿102
$1.05 ₺48.54
199.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.74
$1.07 ₺49.28
-2.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 ฿448
$7.66 ₺355
79.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿43.79
$1.21 ₺56.1
10.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿901.4K
$40.0K ₺1.9M
-30.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$41.2K ₺1.9M
-17.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ฿4,025
$48.19 ₺2,230
156.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ฿440
$8.08 ₺374
67.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 ฿609
$15.69 ₺726
19.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 ฿2,013
$43.26 ₺2,002
42.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 ฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 ฿298
$6.32 ₺292
44.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ฿22.9K
$611 ₺28.3K
14.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿517.0K
$8,878 ₺410.7K
78.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,937
$77.1 ₺3,567
-22.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 ฿1,142
$44.74 ₺2,070
-21.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,754
$159 ₺7,376
-27.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 ฿2,737
$111 ₺5,129
-24.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿20.1K
$506 ₺23.4K
22.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 ฿14.1K
$397 ₺18.4K
9.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 ฿67.2K
$881 ₺40.8K
134.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 ฿49.2K
$713 ₺33.0K
111.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 ฿118.7K
$1,267 ₺58.6K
187.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 ฿85.5K
$960 ₺44.4K
173.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Akbuk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
42.08
-87.33%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Akbuk: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $506 in Akbuk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $47.00 in Akbuk. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $218 in Akbuk – so Akbuk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Akbuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Akbuk cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,645 in Akbuk. 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 Akbuk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Akbuk?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Akbuk?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $47.00 in Akbuk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Akbuk?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Akbuk, where all-in costs run around $1,097, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Akbuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Akbuk more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Akbuk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Akbuk?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Akbuk. 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.

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