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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $503 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $818 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,132 in Amparai.

Living in Phuket is roughly 145% more expensive than in Amparai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Amparai 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.44 LKR 1,469

-0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$25.49 LKR 8,427

26.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.80 LKR 2,579

14.49%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.47 LKR 816

17.41%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.69 LKR 229

27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.25 LKR 82.3

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.27 LKR 750

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.10 LKR 1,024

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.59 LKR 525

17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.57 LKR 187

157.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.82 LKR 271

89.02%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.59 LKR 524

32.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$13.06 LKR 4,317

50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.14 LKR 1,701

-33.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.38 LKR 2,440

54.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$6.84 LKR 2,262

-56.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.82 LKR 273

104.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.18 LKR 1,382

-47.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.29 LKR 425

67.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.01 LKR 333

50.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.80 LKR 266

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.91 LKR 299

24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.48 LKR 160

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.28 LKR 3,401

-58.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$13.60 LKR 4,496

40.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.89 LKR 625

-5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.89 LKR 956

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.41 LKR 136

639.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.38 LKR 126

168.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.89 LKR 294

337.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.35 LKR 445

10.37%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$30.2K LKR 10.0M

-11.89%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$43.3K LKR 14.3M

-37.51%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$55.5 LKR 18.3K

84.66%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.27 LKR 1,412

165.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$20.86 LKR 6,896

-16.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$1.79 LKR 591

329.61%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$37.35 LKR 12.3K

1401.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,198 LKR 396.0K

860.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$20.39 LKR 6,741

209.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$16.99 LKR 5,617

73.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$79.3 LKR 26.2K

23.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$42.91 LKR 14.2K

106.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$90.5 LKR 29.9K

445.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Amparai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 445% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Amparai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $237 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, Getting Around. The 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 445% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $37.35 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $503 in Amparai versus $1,232 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 145% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.