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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,009 in Hamra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,605 in Hamra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,201 in Hamra.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Hamra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Hamra 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$12.06 LBP 1.1M

-61.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$64.2 LBP 5.7M

-49.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$10.17 LBP 910.6K

-14.65%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.77 LBP 426.5K

-39.20%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.36 LBP 211.4K

-64.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.83 LBP 74.2K

-40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$5.02 LBP 449.1K

-50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.93 LBP 441.2K

-24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.96 LBP 175.7K

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.90 LBP 80.5K

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.16 LBP 193.7K

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.65 LBP 326.6K

-38.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.24 LBP 1.2M

49.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$10.77 LBP 963.8K

-67.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$14.15 LBP 1.3M

-19.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.11 LBP 278.2K

-6.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.64 LBP 146.9K

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.67 LBP 149.6K

35.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.49 LBP 133.2K

42.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.36 LBP 121.6K

8.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.62 LBP 145.2K

-12.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.21 LBP 108.7K

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.68 LBP 61.0K

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.99 LBP 267.3K

44.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.20 LBP 912.8K

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.32 LBP 118.0K

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.48 LBP 222.0K

19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$4.88 LBP 436.9K

-36.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.21 LBP 197.5K

-51.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$22.34 LBP 2.0M

-82.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.05 LBP 93.6K

36.19%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$54.3K LBP 4.9B

-48.87%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$32.4K LBP 2.9B

-16.82%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$227 LBP 20.3M

-53.79%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$23.60 LBP 2.1M

-51.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$38.29 LBP 3.4M

-54.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$10.14 LBP 907.9K

-23.27%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$684 LBP 61.2M

-15.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$10.8K LBP 967.0M

7.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-6.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$50.0 LBP 4.5M

-41.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$136 LBP 12.2M

-29.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$120 LBP 10.7M

-24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Hamra: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Hamra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $280 per month, with Phuket 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 Hamra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Hamra differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,009 including rent). Hamra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,514 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 $576 in Phuket versus $684 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 $64.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,009 in Hamra versus $1,265 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 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.