Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Derna

For one person, living is cheaper in Derna: $172 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Derna

🇱🇾 Libya

$172

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Derna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Derna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $172 in Derna, rent included.

Phuket $1,208
Derna $172

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $335 in Derna, rent included.

Phuket $2,027
Derna $335

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $497 in Derna, rent included.

Phuket $2,845
Derna $497

Phuket costs about 602% more than Derna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Derna are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Derna 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$3.80 LYD 24.32

15.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$7.73 LYD 49.56

317.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$3.20 LYD 20.50

173.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.46 LYD 2.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 LYD 4.06

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$0.48 LYD 3.09

489.58%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$0.32 LYD 2.08

181.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$0.74 LYD 4.77

133.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.34 LYD 15.00

-35.47%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$0.89 LYD 5.71

143.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$3.08 LYD 19.74

8.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$0.75 LYD 4.79

126.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$0.94 LYD 6.02

132.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

$0.82 LYD 5.24

267.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

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

$11.04 ฿369

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$14.18 LYD 90.9

20.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$31.15 LYD 200

106.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$38.11 LYD 244

-24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$38.50 LYD 247

147.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$38.94 LYD 250

125.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$157 LYD 1,009

1230.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$94.3 LYD 604

1173.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$191 LYD 1,224

1726.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$76.9 LYD 493

3179.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$169 LYD 1,084

196.11%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Derna: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Derna

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Derna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Derna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Derna

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Derna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Derna

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Derna

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 196% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $8.00 in Derna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $44.00 – making Derna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇱🇾 Derna

🕒 Local time

23:04 11:04 PM

18:04 6:04 PM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

50,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.139 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LYD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Libyan Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.41 LYD (1 LYD = 0.156 USD). 1 EUR = 7.2 LYD (1 LYD = 0.139 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Derna 8,200 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Derna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Derna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 602% more than Derna, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $258 in Derna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,208 in Phuket and $172 in Derna. That's a gap of about 602%.

Groceries cost about 510% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Derna, where all-in costs run around $172, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Derna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Derna costs $172 versus $1,208 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Derna. 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.