Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chingola Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chingola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $338 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $569 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $800 in Chingola.

Living in Phuket is roughly 264% more expensive than Chingola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Chingola 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$12.36 ZMW 235

-62.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$20.38 ZMW 387

129.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.42 ZMW 8.05

76.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.30 ZMW 5.72

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.48 ZMW 9.08

408.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.06 ZMW 20.04

240.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.05 ZMW 19.91

115.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.77 ZMW 14.69

138.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.01 ZMW 38.23

11.44%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.14 ZMW 21.58

103.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.08 ZMW 39.53

75.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.75 ZMW 71.1

249.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.71 ZMW 32.38

98.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.65 ZMW 31.25

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.63 ZMW 30.96

47.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.64 ZMW 31.06

23.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.44 ZMW 46.38

-36.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.27 ZMW 24.09

18.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.74 ZMW 14.03

-33.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.22 ZMW 23.18

264.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.16 ZMW 97.9

265.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.52 ZMW 9.86

242.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$0.61 ZMW 11.56

350.82%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.45 ZMW 8.51

122.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$8.48 ZMW 161

66.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.19 ZMW 22.57

13.45%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

$41.69 ZMW 791

199.78%

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$8.24 ZMW 156

646.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$16.35 ZMW 310

253.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$10.35 ZMW 197

240.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$41.97 ZMW 797

169.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$62.3 ZMW 1,182

38.74%

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

$15.9K ZMW 302.1K

-83.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$117 ZMW 2,224

346.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chingola: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 347% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $118 per month, with Chingola 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 Chingola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 264% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 347% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 147% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $338 in Chingola versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chingola 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 Chingola 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 Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 264% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.