Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Assela Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Assela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $814 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,243 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,671 in Assela.

Living in Phuket is roughly 55% more expensive than in Assela, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Assela 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.50 ETB 718

-0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$35.13 ETB 5,611

29.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.33 ETB 1,011

38.39%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.23 ETB 197

141.46%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.68 ETB 108

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.46 ETB 73.9

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.02 ETB 164

148.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.92 ETB 466

28.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.40 ETB 223

53.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.35 ETB 215

34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.20 ETB 352

-0.91%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.47 ETB 394

-8.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.36 ETB 1,175

171.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$13.97 ETB 2,231

-74.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.21 ETB 2,109

2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$6.71 ETB 1,072

-51.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.96 ETB 153

70.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.29 ETB 365

1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.92 ETB 147

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.68 ETB 109

127.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.85 ETB 295

-21.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.68 ETB 109

44.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.64 ETB 102

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.94 ETB 629

10.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.48 ETB 875

238.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.05 ETB 167

77.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.83 ETB 292

44.81%

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

$1.47 ETB 235

115.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.27 ETB 42.86

281.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$1.97 ETB 315

605.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.24 ETB 198

8.06%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$54.6K ETB 8.7M

-49.08%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$53.8K ETB 8.6M

-37.92%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$161 ETB 25.6K

-23.38%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$11.77 ETB 1,880

16.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$131 ETB 21.0K

-86.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.65 ETB 902

56.99%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$80.3 ETB 12.8K

756.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$40.8K ETB 6.5M

-61.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$46.50 ETB 7,427

27.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$74.6 ETB 11.9K

-53.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$94.6 ETB 15.1K

21.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$115 ETB 18.3K

-27.06%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-68.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Assela: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Assela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $267 per month, with Assela 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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,221 in Assela 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 $688 in Phuket versus $80.3 in Assela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $814 in Assela versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assela 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 Assela 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 Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.