Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chilanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chilanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $638 in Chilanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $958 in Chilanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,278 in Chilanga.

Living in Phuket is roughly 93% more expensive than Chilanga, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Chilanga 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.35 ZMW 140

-37.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$24.59 ZMW 467

90.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.62 ZMW 68.7

144.20%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.00 ZMW 37.89

50.00%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.68 ZMW 12.86

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.36 ZMW 6.84

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.94 ZMW 17.90

159.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.74 ZMW 33.00

107.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.29 ZMW 24.39

75.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.80 ZMW 15.20

130.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.58 ZMW 29.96

41.77%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.79 ZMW 34.00

29.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.72 ZMW 147

154.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.92 ZMW 74.4

-6.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.64 ZMW 88.2

182.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.56 ZMW 48.67

32.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.67 ZMW 31.65

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.77 ZMW 52.5

-13.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.16 ZMW 22.06

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.90 ZMW 36.14

-17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.37 ZMW 25.97

9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.93 ZMW 17.62

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.51 ZMW 9.69

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.54 ZMW 48.26

75.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.02 ZMW 152

135.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.13 ZMW 21.45

57.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.49 ZMW 28.36

84.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.76 ZMW 52.4

13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$9.43 ZMW 179

49.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.24 ZMW 23.54

8.87%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$7,908 ZMW 150.1K

243.76%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.9K ZMW 547.8K

14.08%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$89.6 ZMW 1,701

39.47%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$53.3 ZMW 1,012

-74.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$123 ZMW 2,341

-84.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.28 ZMW 81.3

114.72%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$174 ZMW 3,301

301.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$9,494 ZMW 180.2K

64.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$18.67 ZMW 354

209.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$17.11 ZMW 325

105.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$85.1 ZMW 1,614

32.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$73.5 ZMW 1,394

17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-78.68%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Chilanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $174 per month, with Chilanga 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 Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Chilanga differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $638 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $957 in Chilanga 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 $698 in Phuket versus $174 in Chilanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $638 in Chilanga versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Chilanga 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 Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.