Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ebene Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ebene

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $722 in Ebene.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,238 in Ebene.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,754 in Ebene.

Living in Phuket is roughly 75% more expensive than in Ebene, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Ebene 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.70 MUR 314

-33.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$33.05 MUR 1,548

37.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.57 MUR 308

33.33%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.66 MUR 124

11.65%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.93 MUR 43.39

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.53 MUR 24.96

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.92 MUR 90.1

31.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.70 MUR 126

38.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.57 MUR 73.5

36.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.65 MUR 30.26

180.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.28 MUR 60.1

70.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.32 MUR 109

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.68 MUR 407

130.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.25 MUR 293

-41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.85 MUR 508

24.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.88 MUR 88.3

72.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.28 MUR 59.9

28.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.44 MUR 67.4

61.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.74 MUR 128

-24.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.97 MUR 45.50

59.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.98 MUR 46.01

48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.83 MUR 38.90

18.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.58 MUR 27.03

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.09 MUR 285

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$8.46 MUR 396

119.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.74 MUR 81.6

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.17 MUR 102

22.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.92 MUR 43.05

54.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.29 MUR 201

-26.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.66 MUR 124

-61.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$19.94 MUR 934

-30.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.42 MUR 66.5

-5.63%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

-23.36%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

15.10%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$48.98 MUR 2,294

151.22%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.38 MUR 861

-25.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$33.60 MUR 1,574

-45.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$29.86 MUR 1,399

103.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$6.73 MUR 315

154.98%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.04 MUR 283

46.85%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$151 MUR 7,092

354.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,893 MUR 182.3K

305.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$46.89 MUR 2,196

26.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$44.13 MUR 2,067

-21.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$49.74 MUR 2,330

131.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$50.3 MUR 2,354

66.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$263 MUR 12.3K

136.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$154 MUR 7,202

190.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$601 MUR 28.1K

238.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$439 MUR 20.5K

241.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,143 MUR 53.5K

-56.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ebene: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $263 in Ebene. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ebene pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Ebene for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $208 per month, with Ebene 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 Ebene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ebene is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 132% lower in Ebene. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $263 in Ebene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $151 in Ebene. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ebene – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $722 in Ebene versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ebene but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ebene the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ebene 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 Ebene 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 Ebene gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.