Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Benghazi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Benghazi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $424 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $722 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,021 in Benghazi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 196% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Benghazi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$2.42 LYD 15.31

88.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$12.52 LYD 79.3

160.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$2.37 LYD 15.01

275.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LYD 13.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LYD 2.57

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$0.64 LYD 4.07

337.50%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.44 LYD 2.77

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.13 LYD 0.83

276.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.82 LYD 5.22

118.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.19 LYD 1.20

657.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.35 LYD 8.54

17.04%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.66 LYD 10.49

28.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.33 LYD 40.11

214.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$2.74 LYD 17.34

25.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.59 LYD 73.4

-2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.27 LYD 14.39

29.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.73 LYD 10.94

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.15 LYD 7.26

101.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.75 LYD 4.77

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.86 LYD 5.47

70.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.65 LYD 4.13

109.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.34 LYD 2.17

223.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.23 LYD 1.46

147.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.39 LYD 15.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LYD 3.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 LYD 5.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$1.91 LYD 12.08

123.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.60 LYD 10.11

89.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$0.30 LYD 1.88

256.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$0.02 LYD 0.11

7350.00%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$12.8K LYD 81.1K

111.92%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$14.9K LYD 94.6K

83.74%

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

$103 ฿3,380

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

$10.99 ฿361

$4.55 LYD 28.83

141.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$19.14 LYD 121

-8.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$17.52 LYD 111

205.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$3.96 LYD 25.07

182.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$6.42 LYD 40.66

16.51%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$77.3 LYD 489

620.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$358 LYD 2,269

3208.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$42.91 LYD 272

49.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$34.87 LYD 221

-16.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$44.06 LYD 279

117.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$68.2 LYD 432

32.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$192 LYD 1,213

281.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$120 LYD 760

316.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$429 LYD 2,718

387.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$259 LYD 1,640

366.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$267 LYD 1,692

88.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $192 in Benghazi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 88% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $13.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $128 – making Benghazi 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 Benghazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,253 in Phuket, $424 in Benghazi – roughly 196% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $636 in Benghazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,253 in Phuket and $424 in Benghazi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $77.3 in Benghazi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benghazi, where all-in costs run around $424, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Benghazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $424 in Benghazi to $1,253 in Phuket. 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 Benghazi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.