Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hawassa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hawassa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $808 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,210 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,613 in Hawassa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 51% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Hawassa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$4.46 ETB 705

1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$34.56 ETB 5,460

34.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$6.62 ETB 1,046

28.25%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.27 ETB 201

142.52%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.67 ETB 106

1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.47 ETB 73.7

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.03 ETB 162

135.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.95 ETB 467

23.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.44 ETB 228

52.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.34 ETB 212

35.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.01 ETB 160

120.79%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.52 ETB 240

47.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$6.94 ETB 1,097

182.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$14.00 ETB 2,213

-73.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$13.05 ETB 2,062

3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$6.76 ETB 1,068

-50.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.02 ETB 162

58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.25 ETB 355

7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.93 ETB 146

113.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.67 ETB 106

128.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.84 ETB 291

-21.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.69 ETB 109

46.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.63 ETB 100

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.07 ETB 642

4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$5.53 ETB 874

245.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.00 ETB 158

84.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.89 ETB 298

44.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.49 ETB 236

101.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.29 ETB 46.36

262.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$2.02 ETB 319

588.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.29 ETB 204

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

-49.37%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$54.5K ETB 8.6M

-38.56%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$162 ETB 25.6K

-24.78%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$11.77 ETB 1,860

18.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$129 ETB 20.4K

-85.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$5.76 ETB 909

54.34%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$80.4 ETB 12.7K

760.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$39.9K ETB 6.3M

-59.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$47.00 ETB 7,426

22.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$74.7 ETB 11.8K

-52.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$94.0 ETB 14.8K

20.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$112 ETB 17.7K

-26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$506 ETB 80.0K

410.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-68.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Hawassa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $257 – making Hawassa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,223 in Phuket, $808 in Hawassa – roughly 51% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,212 in Hawassa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $35.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $808, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Hawassa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $808 in Hawassa to $1,223 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hawassa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.