Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ballsh

For one person, living is cheaper in Ballsh: $1,185 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Ballsh
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Ballsh Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Ballsh

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ballsh

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 Ballsh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,185 in Ballsh, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Ballsh $1,185

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,834 in Ballsh, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Ballsh $1,834

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $2,484 in Ballsh, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Ballsh $2,484

Phuket costs about 8% more than Ballsh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Phuket and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ballsh 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$9.65 ALL 786

-53.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

$54.6 ALL 4,443

-40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$7.04 ALL 573

25.14%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$2.25 ALL 183

25.78%

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

$1.47 ALL 120

-40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

$0.90 ALL 73.3

-45.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

$3.50 ALL 285

-26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$4.11 ALL 335

-10.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.24 ALL 183

-25.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

$1.22 ALL 99.0

19.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$2.35 ALL 191

-36.17%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$3.80 ALL 310

-45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

$13.01 ALL 1,059

46.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$9.45 ALL 770

-65.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$17.32 ALL 1,411

-37.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

$1.97 ALL 160

48.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$2.51 ALL 204

-32.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$2.22 ALL 181

1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$1.91 ALL 155

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

$1.06 ALL 86.7

42.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

$1.32 ALL 107

4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

$1.50 ALL 123

-28.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

$0.80 ALL 65.5

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$4.79 ALL 390

-12.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

$10.42 ALL 849

80.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.62 ALL 132

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

$2.03 ALL 166

39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.53 ALL 42.87

173.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

$18.09 ALL 1,473

213.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.77 ALL 307

-19.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

$3.82 ALL 311

-73.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$18.59 ALL 1,514

-80.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

$2.42 ALL 197

-39.26%

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

$26.8K ฿902.4K

$33.2K ALL 2.7M

-19.43%

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

$26.7K ฿899.5K

$29.1K ALL 2.4M

-8.43%

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

$96.4 ฿3,247

$97.8 ALL 7,963

-1.46%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$18.77 ALL 1,529

-40.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$20.21 ALL 1,646

-16.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

$50.8 ALL 4,139

32.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$9.73 ALL 792

-22.92%

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

$476 ฿16.0K

$341 ALL 27.7K

39.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.6K

$8,309 ALL 676.7K

35.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,102

$48.97 ALL 3,989

27.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

$47.59 ALL 3,876

-40.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

$118 ALL 9,633

-20.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

$112 ALL 9,148

-23.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$446 ALL 36.3K

60.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

$332 ALL 27.1K

47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

$612 ALL 49.9K

214.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

$486 ALL 39.6K

194.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

$1,745 ALL 142.1K

139.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

$1,144 ALL 93.2K

166.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.16

7.95%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Ballsh

$332 28% 32.3% $159

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Ballsh

$295 24.9% 10.9% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Ballsh

$137 11.5% 9.9% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ballsh

$147 12.4% 20.8% $25

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ballsh

$160 13.5% 31.9% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Ballsh

$70 5.9% 14.5% $12

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Ballsh

$43 3.6% 39% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $446 in Ballsh. 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 in Phuket versus $55 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $295 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇦🇱 Ballsh

🕒 Local time

11:25 11:25 AM

05:25 5:25 AM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

7,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 81.44 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.66 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Ballsh 8,480 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ballsh

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 Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,778 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ballsh, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $446 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $55 in Ballsh. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,278 in Phuket and $1,185 in Ballsh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ballsh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.