Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Byblos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Byblos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,009 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,609 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,209 in Byblos.

Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Byblos 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$8.09 LBP 724.1K

-44.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$42.13 LBP 3.8M

10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.13 LBP 728.0K

4.43%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$3.06 LBP 273.6K

0.65%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

-29.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

-64.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.21 LBP 108.5K

80.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.65 LBP 58.6K

178.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.61 LBP 143.7K

38.51%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.12 LBP 190.2K

5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$8.90 LBP 796.5K

120.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$8.08 LBP 723.3K

-53.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$12.04 LBP 1.1M

11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.06 LBP 274.3K

9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.97 LBP 176.0K

-17.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

148.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.97 LBP 175.9K

1.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.99 LBP 88.5K

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

49.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.02 LBP 91.6K

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$3.96 LBP 354.2K

382.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.48 LBP 132.6K

24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.98 LBP 177.0K

38.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

44.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.91 LBP 81.1K

41.76%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$22.6K LBP 2.0B

23.99%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$22.1K LBP 2.0B

51.28%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$101 LBP 9.1M

20.49%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$22.86 LBP 2.0M

-39.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$25.15 LBP 2.3M

-24.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$37.76 LBP 3.4M

62.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$18.40 LBP 1.6M

-8.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$10.09 LBP 902.9K

-11.89%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$405 LBP 36.3M

70.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$3,042 LBP 272.2M

431.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$99.8 LBP 8.9M

-42.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$101 LBP 9.0M

-64.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$118 LBP 10.5M

-3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$153 LBP 13.7M

-45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$301 LBP 26.9M

101.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$223 LBP 20.0M

100.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$784 LBP 70.2M

158.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$393 LBP 35.2M

280.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,324 LBP 118.5M

170.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$845 LBP 75.6M

205.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$986 LBP 88.2M

-48.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-33.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Byblos: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $301 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Byblos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $218 per month, with Byblos 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 Byblos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Byblos earns 95% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $301 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $405 in Byblos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Byblos – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,009 in Byblos versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Byblos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Byblos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Byblos 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 Byblos 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 Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.