Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ambatolampy Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ambatolampy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $482 in Ambatolampy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $712 in Ambatolampy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $943 in Ambatolampy.

Living in Phuket is roughly 156% more expensive than in Ambatolampy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Ambatolampy 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.71 MGA 11.8K

62.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$10.57 MGA 46.1K

205.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$5.77 MGA 25.2K

54.77%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$1.73 MGA 7,526

67.63%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.79 MGA 3,429

11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.47 MGA 2,030

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$1.06 MGA 4,627

121.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.38 MGA 10.4K

56.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$0.90 MGA 3,935

107.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.03 MGA 4,483

42.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.72 MGA 3,163

115.28%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.07 MGA 9,024

1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$8.75 MGA 38.2K

123.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.71 MGA 20.5K

-27.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$4.93 MGA 21.5K

130.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$1.14 MGA 4,957

161.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$0.61 MGA 2,649

175.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.04 MGA 4,536

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$0.90 MGA 3,938

140.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.58 MGA 2,512

162.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$0.95 MGA 4,154

41.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.33 MGA 1,428

242.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.70 MGA 3,038

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.59 MGA 6,943

167.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$5.10 MGA 22.2K

274.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.03 MGA 4,485

72.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$1.84 MGA 8,038

51.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.45 MGA 15.0K

-12.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$2.14 MGA 9,322

-52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$4.69 MGA 20.5K

-17.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.90 MGA 3,936

65.56%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$12.4K MGA 54.3M

113.74%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$26.0K MGA 113.4M

4.03%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$75.7 MGA 330.1K

35.42%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$17.45 MGA 76.1K

-35.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$59.0 MGA 257.4K

-70.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.88 MGA 25.7K

30.78%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$25.60 MGA 111.7K

2090.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$15.2K MGA 66.1M

-24.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$30.25 MGA 132.0K

108.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$28.45 MGA 124.1K

3.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$78.8 MGA 343.9K

24.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$71.0 MGA 309.8K

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

15.75

-64.63%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ambatolampy: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Ambatolampy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $145 per month, with Ambatolampy 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 Ambatolampy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambatolampy wins on cost – living expenses run 156% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambatolampy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $723 in Ambatolampy 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.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $25.60 in Ambatolampy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ambatolampy – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $482 in Ambatolampy versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambatolampy but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ambatolampy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambatolampy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $482 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambatolampy hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ambatolampy 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 Ambatolampy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.