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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $801 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,236 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,671 in Assela.

Living in Phuket is roughly 53% more expensive than Assela, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Assela 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$4.50 ETB 711

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$34.71 ETB 5,484

34.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.54 ETB 1,033

29.82%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.28 ETB 202

140.63%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.68 ETB 107

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.43 ETB 68.0

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$0.99 ETB 156

145.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.03 ETB 479

19.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.44 ETB 228

52.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.32 ETB 209

37.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.21 ETB 349

0.90%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.40 ETB 380

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$6.96 ETB 1,100

181.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$13.90 ETB 2,195

-73.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$13.17 ETB 2,081

2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$6.68 ETB 1,056

-49.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.95 ETB 150

70.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.17 ETB 343

11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.90 ETB 143

121.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.63 ETB 99.3

142.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.90 ETB 301

-23.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.68 ETB 108

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.63 ETB 99.4

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.02 ETB 634

6.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$5.63 ETB 890

239.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.05 ETB 166

75.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.82 ETB 288

50.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.43 ETB 225

109.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.27 ETB 42.50

288.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$2.06 ETB 325

574.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.31 ETB 206

-1.53%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$55.7K ETB 8.8M

-49.71%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$52.9K ETB 8.4M

-36.63%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$161 ETB 25.4K

-24.03%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$12.10 ETB 1,911

15.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$128 ETB 20.2K

-85.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$5.82 ETB 920

52.75%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$80.5 ETB 12.7K

758.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$39.7K ETB 6.3M

-59.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$47.46 ETB 7,498

21.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$74.7 ETB 11.8K

-52.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$91.1 ETB 14.4K

24.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$112 ETB 17.7K

-26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Assela: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Assela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $264 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 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,201 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 $691 in Phuket versus $80.5 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $801 in Assela versus $1,223 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 53% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.