Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Herat Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Herat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $579 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $738 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $898 in Herat, rent included.

Phuket costs about 116% more than Herat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Herat are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Herat 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$2.12 ؋140

114.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$8.82 ؋580

423.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.93 ؋259

124.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ؋139

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 ؋480

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$0.69 ؋45.45

343.48%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.52 ؋34.35

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.14 ؋9.53

185.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.48 ؋31.76

370.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.30 ؋19.90

503.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.93 ؋193

-23.21%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.05 ؋135

9.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$2.88 ؋190

577.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.64 ؋174

38.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.79 ؋381

125.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.70 ؋45.91

361.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.69 ؋45.47

134.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.59 ؋38.67

303.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.54 ؋35.81

275.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.59 ؋38.53

159.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.34 ؋22.58

341.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.30 ؋19.97

73.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ؋59.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.84 ؋121

141.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.28 ؋18.27

403.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.11 ؋139

47.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.32 ؋86.8

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.36 ؋287

223.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.00 ؋65.7

31.00%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$187 ؋12.3K

-34.38%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$146 ؋9,592

-87.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$14.48 ؋953

317.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$14.14 ؋931

4895.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$21.30 ؋1,402

174.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$21.58 ؋1,420

63.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$29.22 ؋1,923

295.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$35.49 ؋2,336

135.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$72.1 ؋4,742

768.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$42.44 ؋2,793

948.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$117 ؋7,684

1647.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$72.2 ؋4,751

1967.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

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

-73.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Herat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $72.1 in Herat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $9.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $86.0 – making Herat 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 Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 116%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $869 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Herat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $579 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $14.14 in Herat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Herat. 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.