Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hermel Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hermel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,016 in Hermel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,596 in Hermel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,176 in Hermel.

Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than in Hermel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Hermel 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.85 LBP 1.1M

-62.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$65.3 LBP 5.8M

-50.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.90 LBP 886.3K

-9.80%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.57 LBP 408.7K

-36.54%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

-62.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.84 LBP 75.5K

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

-53.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$5.13 LBP 459.3K

-27.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.96 LBP 175.3K

-4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.82 LBP 73.7K

79.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.23 LBP 199.5K

-30.49%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.55 LBP 318.1K

-40.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.36 LBP 1.2M

46.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$10.75 LBP 961.8K

-68.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$14.38 LBP 1.3M

-20.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.09 LBP 276.6K

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.64 LBP 147.1K

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.61 LBP 144.4K

37.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.54 LBP 137.9K

40.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.34 LBP 120.0K

13.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.68 LBP 150.7K

-20.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.21 LBP 108.6K

-6.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.73 LBP 65.6K

-24.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.93 LBP 262.0K

45.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.15 LBP 908.2K

88.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.32 LBP 118.2K

34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.49 LBP 223.0K

11.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$5.04 LBP 451.5K

-39.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.23 LBP 199.3K

-54.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$22.58 LBP 2.0M

-82.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

50.51%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$52.8K LBP 4.7B

-49.65%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$33.1K LBP 3.0B

-18.35%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$227 LBP 20.3M

-54.76%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$23.27 LBP 2.1M

-51.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$38.23 LBP 3.4M

-54.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$10.06 LBP 900.5K

-23.56%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$671 LBP 60.1M

-16.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$10.8K LBP 970.5M

6.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$67.5 LBP 6.0M

-6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$49.20 LBP 4.4M

-40.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$138 LBP 12.4M

-29.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$118 LBP 10.6M

-25.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Hermel: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $65.0 in Hermel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 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 Hermel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hermel wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hermel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,523 in Hermel 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.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,016 in Hermel – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,016 in Hermel versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hermel but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hermel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hermel delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,016 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hermel hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Hermel 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 Hermel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.