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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $533 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $856 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,180 in Amparai.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Amparai 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.05 LKR 1,359

10.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$25.37 LKR 8,513

79.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.31 LKR 2,789

5.42%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.72 LKR 912

9.19%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.69 LKR 233

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.38 LKR 127

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.40 LKR 805

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.26 LKR 1,093

15.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.76 LKR 589

22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.52 LKR 173

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.80 LKR 268

172.50%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.16 LKR 725

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$14.29 LKR 4,794

39.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.66 LKR 1,563

-22.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.10 LKR 2,719

67.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$7.67 LKR 2,574

-57.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.11 LKR 372

47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$5.83 LKR 1,956

-60.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.25 LKR 419

65.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.10 LKR 369

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.40 LKR 471

4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.18 LKR 397

-16.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.57 LKR 190

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$10.00 LKR 3,356

-56.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.68 LKR 4,254

46.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.03 LKR 680

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.84 LKR 952

-6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.42 LKR 139

654.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.33 LKR 110

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.61 LKR 203

2177.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.25 LKR 418

7.20%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

4.30%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

-4.29%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$60.3 LKR 20.2K

104.16%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.29 LKR 1,438

220.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.31 LKR 5,137

19.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.05 LKR 688

332.68%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$37.29 LKR 12.5K

1744.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$442 LKR 148.3K

3469.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$27.77 LKR 9,320

113.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.10 LKR 6,409

81.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

68.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$38.87 LKR 13.0K

115.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$88.5 LKR 29.7K

458.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Amparai: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 458% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Amparai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $258 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.

Average pay runs 458% 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 $688 in Phuket versus $37.29 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $533 in Amparai versus $1,264 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.