Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ibb Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ibb

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $879 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,447 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,014 in Ibb.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than in Ibb, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Ibb 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$6.30 YER 1,487

-30.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$25.73 YER 6,079

25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$13.05 YER 3,084

-31.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 YER 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 YER 604

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.17 YER 512

33.64%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.12 YER 265

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.50 YER 118

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.06 YER 486

-9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.98 YER 230

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.02 YER 476

-23.27%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.63 YER 857

-42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.87 YER 3,277

41.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.12 YER 1,918

-57.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$19.07 YER 4,504

-40.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.26 YER 771

-8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.01 YER 239

66.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.25 YER 532

-1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.68 YER 397

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.47 YER 347

3.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.32 YER 311

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.81 YER 192

39.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.69 YER 163

-20.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.36 YER 793

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 YER 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 YER 821

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.95 YER 933

7.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

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

$2.12 YER 502

42.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.56 YER 605

-60.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$7.36 YER 1,739

-47.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.05 YER 485

-27.32%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$17.0K YER 4.0M

56.67%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$34.9K YER 8.2M

-22.45%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$63.6 YER 15.0K

61.12%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$15.57 YER 3,677

-27.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$29.89 YER 7,060

-41.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.99 YER 1,415

28.38%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$24.80 YER 5,859

2160.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,138 YER 505.1K

438.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$29.42 YER 6,950

114.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$120 YER 28.4K

-75.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$47.06 YER 11.1K

108.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$40.69 YER 9,613

117.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$313 YER 74.0K

135.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$252 YER 59.6K

91.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$773 YER 182.7K

172.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$629 YER 148.7K

94.74%

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

$359 YER 84.8K

37.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.25

-50.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ibb: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $313 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Ibb for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $251 per month, with Ibb 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 Ibb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $313 in Ibb. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $879 in Ibb – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Ibb versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibb is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ibb 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 Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.