Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hamra Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hamra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $881 in Hamra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,391 in Hamra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,901 in Hamra.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than in Hamra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Hamra 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$10.86 LBP 972.3K

-58.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$60.7 LBP 5.4M

-23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.98 LBP 714.6K

10.78%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.43 LBP 306.9K

-10.79%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.59 LBP 142.2K

-54.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.59 LBP 321.3K

-32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.87 LBP 435.6K

-22.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.80 LBP 161.0K

25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.85 LBP 75.7K

112.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.84 LBP 164.6K

22.28%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.21 LBP 287.2K

-29.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.49 LBP 1.0M

69.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$9.49 LBP 849.2K

-61.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.44 LBP 1.0M

14.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

81.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.47 LBP 131.9K

10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.15 LBP 102.7K

106.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

86.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

51.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.05 LBP 93.7K

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.81 LBP 72.9K

20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.52 LBP 46.2K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.54 LBP 226.9K

74.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.85 LBP 881.7K

85.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

45.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.21 LBP 197.8K

21.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$5.06 LBP 452.5K

-38.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.28 LBP 114.3K

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$20.08 LBP 1.8M

-29.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.90 LBP 80.5K

45.56%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-20.04%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.3K LBP 2.5B

17.31%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$215 LBP 19.2M

-42.99%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$38.24 LBP 3.4M

-64.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$37.73 LBP 3.4M

-50.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.87 LBP 704.8K

15.25%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$306 LBP 27.4M

130.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$4,500 LBP 402.7M

251.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$69.8 LBP 6.3M

-16.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$44.95 LBP 4.0M

-21.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$125 LBP 11.2M

-7.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$96.3 LBP 8.6M

-13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.16

-52.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hamra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $61.0 in Hamra. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $236, with Hamra cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hamra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Hamra differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $881 including rent). Hamra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,321 in Hamra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $306 in Hamra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamra – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $881 in Hamra versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamra but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hamra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Hamra 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 Hamra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.