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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $734 in Ebene.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,247 in Ebene.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,761 in Ebene.

Living in Phuket is roughly 67% more expensive than Ebene, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Ebene 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$6.79 MUR 320

-33.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$32.64 MUR 1,537

42.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.46 MUR 304

31.42%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.63 MUR 124

17.11%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.92 MUR 43.26

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.57 MUR 26.70

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.88 MUR 88.6

29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.56 MUR 121

41.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.56 MUR 73.5

40.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.71 MUR 33.42

154.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.32 MUR 62.2

68.94%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.31 MUR 109

-3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$8.96 MUR 422

118.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$6.05 MUR 285

-38.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$10.80 MUR 508

24.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.81 MUR 85.1

85.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.24 MUR 58.4

30.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.48 MUR 69.7

62.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.63 MUR 124

-24.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.03 MUR 48.56

48.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.95 MUR 44.65

52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.78 MUR 36.72

29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.54 MUR 25.29

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$6.10 MUR 287

-30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$8.45 MUR 398

126.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.67 MUR 78.9

10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.24 MUR 105

22.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.92 MUR 43.40

54.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$4.45 MUR 209

-32.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$2.73 MUR 128

-61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$19.73 MUR 929

-29.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.40 MUR 65.9

-7.86%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-21.30%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

15.12%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$49.59 MUR 2,335

145.98%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$18.18 MUR 856

-23.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$33.81 MUR 1,592

-44.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$30.24 MUR 1,424

102.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$6.47 MUR 304

160.28%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$6.12 MUR 288

45.26%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$155 MUR 7,275

347.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$3,955 MUR 186.2K

308.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$45.54 MUR 2,144

26.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$44.79 MUR 2,109

-20.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$50.3 MUR 2,369

125.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$49.56 MUR 2,333

67.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$262 MUR 12.3K

131.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$154 MUR 7,272

190.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$594 MUR 28.0K

241.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$440 MUR 20.7K

239.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$1,186 MUR 55.8K

-57.43%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Ebene: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $262 in Ebene. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ebene pays 135% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Ebene for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $207 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 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ebene earns 135% less. 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: $607 in Phuket versus $262 in Ebene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $155 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $734 in Ebene versus $1,223 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 67% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.