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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $279 in Ife, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $426 in Ife, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $573 in Ife, rent included.

Phuket costs about 353% more than Ife, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Ife are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Ife 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.60 ₦2,118

191.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$11.13 ₦14.7K

189.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$3.66 ₦4,856

137.16%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$0.27 ₦361

974.07%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$0.33 ₦441

154.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$0.19 ₦255

157.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$0.29 ₦378

755.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$0.35 ₦470

965.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$0.23 ₦305

513.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.58 ₦775

179.31%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.32 ₦1,749

69.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$1.47 ₦1,946

1249.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$1.62 ₦2,153

114.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$1.30 ₦1,727

774.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$1.90 ₦2,521

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$0.31 ₦411

374.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$0.35 ₦469

305.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$2.21 ₦2,934

741.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.12 ₦158

1775.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$0.14 ₦182

921.43%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

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

$105 ฿3,466

$30.32 ₦40.2K

245.65%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$6.05 ₦8,019

88.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$15.07 ₦20.0K

16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$7.34 ₦9,721

640.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$1.51 ₦2,006

415.23%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$15.14 ₦20.1K

3707.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$135 ₦179.5K

8450.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$7.62 ₦10.1K

735.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$11.23 ₦14.9K

159.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$18.87 ₦25.0K

409.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$22.29 ₦29.5K

303.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$184 ₦244.5K

297.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$111 ₦147.0K

351.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$373 ₦493.9K

470.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$226 ₦299.6K

454.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$52.4 ₦69.4K

868.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ife: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $184 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $11.00 in Ife. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $42.00 – 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: $1,265 in Phuket, $279 in Ife – roughly 353% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $419 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $279 in Ife. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $15.14 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 $279, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $279 in Ife to $1,265 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.