Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jimma Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jimma

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $1,052 in Jimma, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,461 in Jimma, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,870 in Jimma, rent included.

Phuket costs about 19% more than Jimma, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Jimma are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Jimma 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$4.62 ETB 742

-1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$1.14 ETB 183

145.61%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.56 ETB 89.2

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.48 ETB 77.2

2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.95 ETB 473

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$1.43 ETB 230

159.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.14 ETB 183

57.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.37 ETB 60.0

289.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.17 ETB 189

35.04%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$4.12 ETB 661

-48.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$11.78 ETB 1,891

-70.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.39 ETB 1,829

-0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.37 ETB 381

24.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.15 ETB 185

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$3.42 ETB 549

-32.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.60 ETB 97.0

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.60 ETB 96.9

145.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$3.48 ETB 559

-60.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.56 ETB 90.5

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$6.91 ETB 1,110

166.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.19 ETB 192

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.42 ETB 229

105.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.24 ETB 38.55

825.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$13.92 ETB 2,235

64.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$1.70 ETB 273

131.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.70 ETB 274

-12.35%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$51.8K ETB 8.3M

-47.63%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$57.8K ETB 9.3M

-52.48%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$62.9 ETB 10.1K

63.43%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$37.35 ETB 5,998

-70.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$310 ETB 49.8K

-94.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$34.34 ETB 5,515

55.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$92.6 ETB 14.9K

-68.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$141 ETB 22.7K

-32.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$116 ETB 18.7K

-22.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$211 ETB 33.9K

245.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$159 ETB 25.6K

213.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$434 ETB 69.7K

381.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$315 ETB 50.6K

283.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$2,308 ETB 370.6K

55.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,167 ETB 187.4K

115.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$233 ETB 37.5K

115.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-38.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Jimma: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $211 in Jimma. 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 116% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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 Jimma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,577 in Jimma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 35% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Jimma. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jimma, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Jimma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jimma – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Jimma. 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.