Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Imbabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Imbabah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $421 in Imbabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $682 in Imbabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $943 in Imbabah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 201% more than Imbabah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Imbabah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Imbabah 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿151

$3.64 E£191

28.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,505

$15.95 E£839

191.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿281

$4.53 E£238

91.61%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.5

$1.50 E£78.9

96.67%

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

$0.70 ฿22.65

$0.31 E£16.44

125.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.77

$0.11 E£5.64

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿82.1

$1.20 E£63.2

110.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$2.98 E£157

26.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.8

$0.66 E£34.52

236.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿58.2

$0.21 E£11.19

757.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.8

$0.69 E£36.47

217.39%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.9

$1.45 E£76.3

59.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿627

$1.49 E£78.6

1197.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿122

$3.23 E£170

16.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿428

$6.97 E£367

89.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿108

$1.41 E£74.4

136.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.4

$0.51 E£26.68

223.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿74.2

$0.38 E£20.16

502.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.4

$0.21 E£10.98

847.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.51

$0.37 E£19.54

313.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.04

$0.44 E£22.89

243.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.30

$0.10 E£5.35

930.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.66

$0.17 E£8.95

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿143

$1.73 E£91.3

154.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿629

$1.89 E£99.5

926.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.3

$1.36 E£71.7

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.8

$2.03 E£107

32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.37

$0.17 E£9.04

741.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿379

$14.72 E£775

-20.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿98.4

$0.25 E£13.16

1116.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.56

$0.45 E£23.68

131.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿443

$2.04 E£107

570.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿42.08

$0.25 E£13.23

420.00%

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

$27.9K ฿903.9K

$35.5K E£1.9M

-21.51%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$33.5K E£1.8M

-1.53%

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

$123 ฿3,984

$11.40 E£600

978.68%

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

$13.82 ฿448

$5.76 E£303

139.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿611

$10.16 E£535

85.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,981

$21.92 E£1,153

178.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿545

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿287

$2.93 E£154

202.73%

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

$696 ฿22.6K

$23.24 E£1,223

2896.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿520.3K

$997 E£52.4K

1511.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,921

$15.83 E£833

274.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,129

$19.70 E£1,037

76.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,667

$108 E£5,699

4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,756

$50.6 E£2,663

68.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.9K

$191 E£10.0K

222.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.5K

$98.2 E£5,169

356.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.6K

$315 E£16.6K

562.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.5K

$178 E£9,381

738.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿121.0K

$783 E£41.2K

376.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿86.2K

$407 E£21.4K

554.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.3K

$95.9 E£5,048

456.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-68.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Imbabah: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $191 in Imbabah. 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 456% 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 $46 in Phuket versus $16 in Imbabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $91 – making Imbabah 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 Imbabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Phuket, $421 in Imbabah – roughly 201% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $632 in Imbabah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Imbabah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 222% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $16.00 in Imbabah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imbabah, where all-in costs run around $421, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Imbabah 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 $421 in Imbabah to $1,270 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 Imbabah. 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.