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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $835 in Jal el Dib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,324 in Jal el Dib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,813 in Jal el Dib.

Living in Phuket is roughly 51% more expensive than in Jal el Dib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Jal el Dib 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.70 LBP 957.3K

-58.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$39.69 LBP 3.6M

14.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.19 LBP 733.0K

6.96%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.96 LBP 175.3K

51.53%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

-33.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.41 LBP 305.6K

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$5.11 LBP 457.1K

-26.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.72 LBP 154.0K

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

24.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.39 LBP 213.8K

-5.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.17 LBP 999.6K

79.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$9.57 LBP 856.9K

-62.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$9.84 LBP 880.9K

37.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

220.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.52 LBP 135.7K

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

135.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.77 LBP 68.9K

168.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.68 LBP 60.5K

127.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.48 LBP 42.7K

204.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.51 LBP 45.8K

92.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.31 LBP 28.1K

54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.45 LBP 219.7K

77.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.08 LBP 902.0K

84.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.12 LBP 100.5K

66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.46 LBP 131.0K

81.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.47 LBP 131.3K

-3.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$52.8 LBP 4.7M

-78.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.86 LBP 435.4K

-34.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.28 LBP 114.6K

-19.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$19.76 LBP 1.8M

-29.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.83 LBP 74.7K

61.45%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$34.3K LBP 3.1B

-19.09%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

18.74%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$141 LBP 12.6M

-12.66%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$37.15 LBP 3.3M

-62.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$37.75 LBP 3.4M

-51.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$20.06 LBP 1.8M

202.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.01 LBP 448.7K

77.05%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$200 LBP 17.9M

244.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$1,506 LBP 134.8M

947.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$70.6 LBP 6.3M

-15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$45.77 LBP 4.1M

-24.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$124 LBP 11.1M

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.16

-52.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jal el Dib: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Jal el Dib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $213 per month, with Jal el Dib 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 Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,252 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Jal el Dib – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $835 in Jal el Dib – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Jal el Dib versus $1,264 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 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.