Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jal el Dib Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jal el Dib

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $998 in Jal el Dib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,614 in Jal el Dib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,230 in Jal el Dib.

Living in Phuket is roughly 23% more expensive than in Jal el Dib, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Jal el Dib 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.89 LBP 1.1M

-62.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$63.9 LBP 5.7M

-49.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$10.19 LBP 912.1K

-12.37%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.62 LBP 413.4K

-37.23%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$2.37 LBP 212.0K

-62.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

-44.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$5.12 LBP 458.5K

-54.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$5.11 LBP 457.6K

-27.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.88 LBP 168.1K

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$0.87 LBP 77.9K

68.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.16 LBP 193.7K

-28.24%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$3.66 LBP 327.3K

-42.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$13.51 LBP 1.2M

45.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$10.73 LBP 960.0K

-68.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$14.01 LBP 1.3M

-18.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$3.09 LBP 276.5K

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.64 LBP 147.2K

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.64 LBP 146.4K

34.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.53 LBP 136.6K

41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.36 LBP 121.4K

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.66 LBP 148.4K

-19.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.72 LBP 64.8K

-23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.94 LBP 262.9K

44.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$10.18 LBP 911.5K

87.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.33 LBP 119.3K

33.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.57 LBP 229.7K

8.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$5.04 LBP 450.9K

-39.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$2.28 LBP 203.7K

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$22.52 LBP 2.0M

-82.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.04 LBP 93.1K

43.27%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$52.8K LBP 4.7B

-49.65%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$32.9K LBP 2.9B

-17.93%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$230 LBP 20.6M

-55.51%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$23.29 LBP 2.1M

-51.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$38.35 LBP 3.4M

-54.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$10.08 LBP 901.9K

-23.71%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$679 LBP 60.7M

-17.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$10.7K LBP 959.5M

7.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$67.8 LBP 6.1M

-7.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$48.37 LBP 4.3M

-38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$140 LBP 12.5M

-30.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$119 LBP 10.6M

-25.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Jal el Dib: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Jal el Dib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $279 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Jal el Dib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jal el Dib is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,497 in Jal el Dib to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $679 in Jal el Dib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jal el Dib – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $998 in Jal el Dib versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jal el Dib but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Jal el Dib the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jal el Dib 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 Jal el Dib 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 Jal el Dib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.