Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baalbek Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Baalbek

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,619 in Baalbek, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,542 in Baalbek, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,464 in Baalbek, rent included.

Phuket is about 24% cheaper than Baalbek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Baalbek is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$12.04 LBP 1.1M

-63.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$64.2 LBP 5.7M

-49.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.89 LBP 885.0K

-9.71%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.75 LBP 425.5K

-38.95%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.30 LBP 205.5K

-61.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.89 LBP 79.9K

-46.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$5.03 LBP 450.3K

-53.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$5.02 LBP 449.6K

-25.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.85 LBP 166.0K

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.85 LBP 76.0K

72.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.17 LBP 194.0K

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.50 LBP 312.9K

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.30 LBP 1.2M

47.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$10.39 LBP 930.1K

-67.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$14.30 LBP 1.3M

-20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.99 LBP 267.5K

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

-2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.67 LBP 149.2K

32.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

44.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.34 LBP 119.8K

13.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.72 LBP 153.9K

-22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.17 LBP 105.0K

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.72 LBP 64.5K

-23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.93 LBP 262.1K

45.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.15 LBP 908.4K

88.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.28 LBP 114.1K

39.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.61 LBP 233.2K

6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.92 LBP 440.2K

-38.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.31 LBP 206.8K

-55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$22.76 LBP 2.0M

-82.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.04 LBP 93.2K

43.27%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$54.2K LBP 4.8B

-50.94%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$33.1K LBP 3.0B

-18.32%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$228 LBP 20.4M

-55.14%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$23.85 LBP 2.1M

-52.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$37.11 LBP 3.3M

-53.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$10.10 LBP 904.3K

-23.86%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$675 LBP 60.4M

-16.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$10.5K LBP 943.7M

9.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$67.9 LBP 6.1M

-7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$49.98 LBP 4.5M

-40.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$139 LBP 12.5M

-29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$118 LBP 10.6M

-25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$957 LBP 85.6M

-22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$623 LBP 55.8M

-22.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,493 LBP 133.7M

41.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,223 LBP 109.4M

0.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Baalbek: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $957 in Baalbek. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $64.0 in Baalbek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $277 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Baalbek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,619 in Baalbek – roughly 31% apart. Baalbek costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,429 in Baalbek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $64.0 in Baalbek. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Baalbek, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Baalbek at $1,619. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baalbek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $1,619 in Baalbek. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baalbek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.