Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,530 in Alba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $2,370 in Alba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $3,210 in Alba, rent included.

Phuket is about 18% cheaper than Alba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Alba is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$12.10 €10.60

-62.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$93.4 €81.8

-50.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$12.71 €11.13

-30.45%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.70 €1.49

80.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.97 €2.60

-75.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.49 €1.31

-73.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$6.34 €5.55

-61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$5.94 €5.21

-36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.87 €1.64

20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.92 €2.56

-38.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.34 €2.92

-32.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$4.31 €3.77

-47.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.73 €10.27

66.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$13.03 €11.41

-71.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$23.98 €21.00

-45.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.72 €1.50

87.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.32 €2.03

-30.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.29 €2.88

-27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$4.00 €3.50

-49.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.67 €2.34

-42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.78 €1.56

-15.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.63 €1.43

-39.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.15 €0.13

246.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$7.07 €6.19

-37.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.27 €8.12

97.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.40 €2.10

-22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.12 €2.73

-14.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.76 €1.54

-19.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$43.52 €38.11

-73.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$8.02 €7.03

-61.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.52 €1.33

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$39.04 €34.19

-63.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$2.11 €1.85

-37.91%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$33.5K €29.3K

-16.99%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$36.1K €31.6K

-7.89%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$218 €191

-43.87%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.34 €7.30

62.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$31.34 €27.45

-40.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$55.3 €48.47

9.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$23.27 €20.38

-27.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.49 €10.07

-21.06%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$887 €777

-20.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$16.6K €14.5K

-4.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$98.2 €86.0

-40.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$29.39 €25.74

20.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$52.9 €46.30

118.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$75.9 €66.5

10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$484 €424

29.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$412 €361

7.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$744 €652

174.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$626 €548

138.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$3,063 €2,682

13.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$2,629 €2,303

-80.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.25

64.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alba: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $484 in Alba. 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 426% higher in Alba, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $93.0 in Alba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $363 – making Phuket 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 Alba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Alba is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $2,295 in Alba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $1,530 in Alba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 272% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Alba at $1,530. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.