Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Elblag Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Elblag

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,547 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,223 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,900 in Elblag.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 18% less than in Elblag, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Elblag is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$10.91 zł 39.87

-58.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$29.42 zł 108

58.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.69 zł 28.09

10.14%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.31 zł 15.75

-29.70%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.11 zł 7.71

-67.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.91 zł 6.98

-80.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.28 zł 11.99

-24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.73 zł 17.29

-22.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.18 zł 4.32

84.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.42 zł 5.20

33.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.77 zł 6.47

24.29%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.63 zł 13.28

-38.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.29 zł 37.62

94.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.88 zł 25.14

-46.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$14.36 zł 52.5

-7.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.24 zł 4.55

160.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.78 zł 6.51

-4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.02 zł 7.38

18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$3.75 zł 13.70

-44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.04 zł 3.80

52.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.24 zł 4.53

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.47 zł 5.36

-29.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.69 zł 2.51

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.43 zł 16.18

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.93 zł 25.33

171.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.44 zł 5.26

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.87 zł 6.85

47.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.07 zł 3.92

27.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$26.04 zł 95.2

-56.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.72 zł 9.95

15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.02 zł 3.73

1.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.83 zł 50.6

-0.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.71 zł 6.27

-21.64%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$33.0K zł 120.6K

-16.11%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.0K zł 98.7K

25.39%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$362 zł 1,323

-65.85%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.06 zł 36.77

34.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.06 zł 55.1

24.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$35.12 zł 128

76.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$13.54 zł 49.50

27.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.54 zł 23.90

39.76%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$589 zł 2,154

19.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,088 zł 7,630

660.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$98.9 zł 362

-39.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$47.50 zł 174

-26.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$95.7 zł 350

20.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$111 zł 404

-24.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$683 zł 2,497

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$479 zł 1,750

-9.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$974 zł 3,561

111.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$825 zł 3,017

83.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,318 zł 8,472

57.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$2,323 zł 8,489

13.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,397 zł 5,107

-63.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Elblag: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $683 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elblag pays 176% 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 $29.00 in Elblag for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $244 per month, with Elblag 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 Elblag: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Elblag earns 176% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $683 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Elblag pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $29.00 in Elblag. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,547 in Elblag, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Elblag. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elblag, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Elblag 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Elblag. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.