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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $987 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,658 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,329 in Ibb.

Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than Ibb, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ibb 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.85 YER 1,633

-31.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$40.65 YER 9,687

11.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$12.50 YER 2,978

-32.56%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.08 YER 495

40.87%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.60 YER 382

-56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.50 YER 119

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$3.26 YER 778

-31.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.16 YER 276

57.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$4.74 YER 1,131

-54.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$6.43 YER 1,531

-65.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.11 YER 2,172

116.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$12.60 YER 3,002

-71.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$27.63 YER 6,585

-51.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.80 YER 1,382

-43.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.17 YER 517

-25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$6.45 YER 1,537

-62.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.67 YER 876

-43.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.32 YER 554

-34.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.02 YER 481

-26.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.78 YER 186

26.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.40 YER 334

-63.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.04 YER 963

9.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.08 YER 496

45.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$3.99 YER 952

-65.91%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$90.8 YER 21.6K

34.00%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$15.33 YER 3,652

-11.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$77.6 YER 18.5K

-76.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$80.6 YER 19.2K

-25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$28.67 YER 6,833

2318.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,323 YER 791.9K

372.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$29.35 YER 6,993

102.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$48.95 YER 11.7K

134.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$57.5 YER 13.7K

44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$216 YER 51.5K

183.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$160 YER 38.2K

172.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$571 YER 136.1K

266.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$395 YER 94.1K

282.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$352 YER 83.9K

44.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ibb: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $216 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 44% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $41.00 in Ibb. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $379, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 44% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $216 in Ibb. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $987 in Ibb – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,265 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 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.