Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alofi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alofi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $501 in Alofi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $900 in Alofi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,299 in Alofi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 150% more expensive than in Alofi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Alofi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$17.74 NZ$30.30

-74.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$37.05 NZ$63.3

24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$15.24 NZ$26.03

-41.99%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.02 NZ$5.16

1.32%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$3.10 NZ$5.30

-76.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$2.92 NZ$4.99

-86.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.72 NZ$8.06

-48.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.68 NZ$6.29

2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.34 NZ$4.00

-22.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.94 NZ$5.01

-23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$17.79 NZ$30.39

-75.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$14.13 NZ$24.14

29.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$61.4 NZ$105

99.45%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$11.93 NZ$20.38

13.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$59.6 NZ$102

-68.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$18.40 NZ$31.43

228.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$267 NZ$456

664.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$244 NZ$417

511.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alofi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Alofi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $63.0 per month, with Alofi 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 Alofi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alofi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 150% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $751 in Alofi 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 356% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Alofi – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $501 in Alofi versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alofi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Alofi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alofi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Alofi 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 Alofi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.