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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $738 in Ife, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,184 in Ife, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,630 in Ife, rent included.

Phuket costs about 67% more than Ife, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Ife are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Ife 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.81 ₦3,870

64.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$34.94 ₦48.1K

34.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.48 ₦7,541

61.31%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$0.78 ₦1,074

284.62%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.50 ₦691

48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.26 ₦358

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.95 ₦1,312

156.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.14 ₦1,565

216.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.73 ₦1,004

152.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.74 ₦2,401

28.74%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.34 ₦3,216

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.63 ₦6,375

324.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.06 ₦6,969

-27.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.27 ₦5,883

206.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$5.79 ₦7,973

-41.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.90 ₦1,241

73.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.14 ₦1,571

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.93 ₦9,541

172.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.37 ₦504

278.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.41 ₦560

229.27%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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)

$125 ฿4,087

$30.15 ₦41.5K

314.53%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$5.92 ₦8,148

129.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$47.68 ₦65.6K

-61.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$23.35 ₦32.2K

163.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.64 ₦6,385

98.06%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$46.16 ₦63.6K

1412.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$424 ₦583.2K

3581.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$23.07 ₦31.8K

150.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$34.48 ₦47.5K

2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$57.8 ₦79.6K

95.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$69.7 ₦96.0K

23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$586 ₦806.7K

5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$348 ₦479.1K

28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,151 ₦1.6M

77.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$689 ₦948.7K

116.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$163 ₦224.3K

221.59%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ife: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $586 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 222% 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 $35.00 in Ife. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $123 – 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $738 in Ife – roughly 67% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,106 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $738 in Ife. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $46.16 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 $738, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $738 in Ife to $1,232 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.