Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Asmara

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $1,374 in Asmara, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. The total is higher in Asmara despite lower rent and utilities.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Asmara
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Asmara Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Asmara

🇪🇷 Eritrea

$1,374

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Asmara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Asmara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,374 in Asmara.

Phuket $1,208
Asmara $1,374

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $2,159 in Asmara.

Phuket $2,027
Asmara $2,159

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,943 in Asmara.

Phuket $2,845
Asmara $2,943

Living in Phuket costs roughly 12% less than in Asmara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Asmara is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$20.76 ERN 312

-78.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$33.78 ERN 507

-4.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$6.02 ERN 90.5

45.51%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$0.77 ERN 11.61

267.53%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$1.02 ERN 15.37

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.97 ERN 14.59

-51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$0.61 ERN 9.20

318.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.56 ERN 23.41

10.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.26 ERN 33.95

-33.19%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$4.48 ERN 67.3

-51.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$2.93 ERN 43.95

572.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$27.11 ERN 407

-87.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$9.94 ERN 149

12.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$12.25 ERN 184

-76.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$1.26 ERN 18.86

34.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$2.03 ERN 30.53

7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.14 ERN 17.18

79.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$1.75 ERN 26.31

-17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$0.95 ERN 14.27

45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$2.25 ERN 33.78

-77.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$11.98 ERN 180

55.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$0.98 ERN 14.71

81.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$1.03 ERN 15.43

176.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$0.14 ERN 2.10

1514.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

$7.98 ERN 120

176.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$0.58 ERN 8.70

82.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

$10.18 ERN 153

-62.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$2.55 ERN 38.23

-43.14%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$67.7K ERN 1.0M

-61.09%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$70.9K ERN 1.1M

-61.99%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$25.48 ERN 383

278.26%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$68.1 ERN 1,023

-83.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$201 ERN 3,012

-91.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$26.63 ERN 400

95.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

$4.86 ERN 73.1

129.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$1.22 ERN 18.28

540.16%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$24.87 ERN 374

2135.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

$2,595 ERN 39.0K

346.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$137 ERN 2,060

-53.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$122 ERN 1,837

-76.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$197 ERN 2,964

-51.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$148 ERN 2,229

-40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$252 ERN 3,781

192.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$199 ERN 2,984

132.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$454 ERN 6,824

361.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$420 ERN 6,305

186.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$1,247 ERN 18.7K

179.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$2,481 ERN 37.3K

1.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-53.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Asmara: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Asmara

$199 14.5% 57% $264

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Asmara

$364 * 26.5% 35.6% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Asmara

$294 21.4% 136% $170

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Asmara

$272 19.8% 119% $148

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Asmara

$204 * 14.9% 68.7% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Asmara

$29 2.1% 57.1% $39

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Asmara

$11 * 0.8% 71% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $252 in Asmara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Asmara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $364 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇪🇷 Asmara

🕒 Local time

03:03 3:03 AM

23:03 11:03 PM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

579,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Eritrean Nakfa ERN ናቕፋ

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ERN = 6.66 USD

100 ERN = 5.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ERN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Eritrean Nakfa exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 15.02 ERN (100 ERN = 6.66 USD). 1 EUR = 16.89 ERN (100 ERN = 5.92 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Asmara 6,510 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Asmara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Asmara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Asmara differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,208 vs $1,374 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $2,062 in Asmara 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $252 in Asmara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 177% less than in Asmara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $24.87 in Asmara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,374 in Asmara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Asmara. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Asmara 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Asmara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.