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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $339 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $575 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $811 in Chingola.

Living in Phuket is roughly 260% 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

$4.51 ฿147

$12.28 ZMW 217

-63.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$20.66 ZMW 365

125.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.39 ZMW 6.92

74.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.30 ZMW 5.33

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$0.52 ZMW 9.11

367.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.06 ZMW 18.75

242.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.04 ZMW 18.37

110.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.78 ZMW 13.68

132.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.05 ZMW 36.14

8.78%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.10 ZMW 19.39

103.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$2.03 ZMW 35.76

83.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$3.66 ZMW 64.5

268.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.64 ZMW 28.89

104.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.64 ZMW 28.90

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.68 ZMW 29.65

43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.69 ZMW 29.77

17.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$2.56 ZMW 45.11

-40.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.26 ZMW 22.29

15.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.74 ZMW 13.09

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$1.26 ZMW 22.15

238.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$5.57 ZMW 98.3

243.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$0.51 ZMW 9.00

260.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$0.63 ZMW 11.13

334.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

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

$0.45 ZMW 7.93

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$8.08 ZMW 143

72.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.23 ZMW 21.69

4.88%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,964

$40.93 ZMW 722

198.02%

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

$13.93 ฿453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$8.17 ZMW 144

650.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$16.46 ZMW 290

251.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$10.34 ZMW 182

242.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$41.50 ZMW 732

173.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$62.7 ZMW 1,105

32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$16.9K ZMW 298.8K

-84.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$126 ZMW 2,228

299.57%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Chingola: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 300% 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 $21.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $119 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 260% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 300% 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 145% 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 $21.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $339 in Chingola versus $1,223 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 260% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.