Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Amparai Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Amparai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $531 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $865 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,199 in Amparai.

Living in Phuket is roughly 137% more expensive than Amparai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Amparai 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.97 LKR 1,326

14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$24.96 LKR 8,327

86.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.51 LKR 2,838

-0.47%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.64 LKR 879

14.77%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.69 LKR 230

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.40 LKR 134

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.38 LKR 795

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.27 LKR 1,091

11.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.77 LKR 592

23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.52 LKR 173

265.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.87 LKR 291

152.87%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.22 LKR 739

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$14.25 LKR 4,753

40.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.63 LKR 1,545

-20.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.83 LKR 2,612

69.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.38 LKR 2,460

-56.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.07 LKR 356

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.94 LKR 1,980

-59.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.19 LKR 398

74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.11 LKR 370

43.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.42 LKR 474

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.20 LKR 399

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.60 LKR 199

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$9.89 LKR 3,300

-57.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.52 LKR 4,177

50.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.02 LKR 674

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.97 LKR 992

-7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.38 LKR 128

726.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.32 LKR 108

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$0.60 LKR 201

2195.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.20 LKR 399

11.67%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

4.86%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-4.42%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$59.2 LKR 19.7K

108.80%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.27 LKR 1,425

216.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.38 LKR 5,131

21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$1.99 LKR 663

359.30%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$36.29 LKR 12.1K

1836.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$448 LKR 149.3K

3446.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$27.47 LKR 9,162

116.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.33 LKR 6,447

81.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$68.5 LKR 22.9K

68.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.28 LKR 12.8K

119.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$88.0 LKR 29.3K

476.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.45

-67.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Amparai: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 476% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Amparai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $257 per month, with Amparai 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 Amparai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amparai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 476% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $36.29 in Amparai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Amparai – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Amparai versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Amparai but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Amparai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Amparai 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 Amparai 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 Amparai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.