Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ife Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ife

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $715 in Ife, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,174 in Ife, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,633 in Ife, rent included.

Phuket costs about 76% more than Ife, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Ife are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ife 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.77 ₦3,767

64.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$35.63 ₦48.4K

30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.19 ₦7,064

63.20%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.85 ₦1,152

256.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.47 ₦636

46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.28 ₦382

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$0.92 ₦1,250

170.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.15 ₦1,567

218.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.73 ₦998

160.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.78 ₦2,417

23.60%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.37 ₦3,221

-6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.61 ₦6,269

333.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.26 ₦7,151

-30.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$4.26 ₦5,791

211.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$5.71 ₦7,769

-43.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.93 ₦1,262

70.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.19 ₦1,624

24.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$2.15 ₦2,925

773.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.36 ₦491

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.38 ₦516

252.63%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$29.64 ₦40.3K

316.97%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$5.86 ₦7,975

130.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$46.69 ₦63.5K

-59.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$23.04 ₦31.3K

168.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.74 ₦6,451

92.83%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$46.67 ₦63.5K

1405.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$415 ₦564.0K

3726.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$23.43 ₦31.9K

153.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$35.55 ₦48.3K

-1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$58.3 ₦79.2K

97.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$70.9 ₦96.4K

18.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$597 ₦811.5K

3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$357 ₦485.6K

21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,187 ₦1.6M

73.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$706 ₦960.0K

114.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$52.3 ₦71.1K

869.41%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Ife: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $597 in Ife. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 869% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Ife. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $115 – making Ife 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 Ife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $715 in Ife – roughly 76% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,073 in Ife. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ife, 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $715 in Ife. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $46.67 in Ife. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ife, where all-in costs run around $715, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Ife 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 $715 in Ife to $1,261 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 Ife. 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.