Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lapu-Lapu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lapu-Lapu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $871 in Lapu-Lapu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,325 in Lapu-Lapu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,779 in Lapu-Lapu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than Lapu-Lapu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lapu-Lapu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.39 ₱271

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$17.85 ₱1,100

154.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.40 ₱271

91.59%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.60 ₱160

12.69%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.80 ₱49.56

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.45 ₱27.90

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.51 ₱93.3

59.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.11 ₱130

76.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.65 ₱102

35.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.44 ₱88.6

27.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.07 ₱66.0

102.80%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.30 ₱142

-3.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$12.15 ₱749

62.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.29 ₱326

-31.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.60 ₱469

78.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.24 ₱200

1.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.38 ₱85.2

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.43 ₱150

-0.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.19 ₱135

-5.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.25 ₱139

-32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.85 ₱114

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.91 ₱56.4

8.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.83 ₱51.5

-38.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.79 ₱110

146.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$3.42 ₱211

466.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.03 ₱63.6

72.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.27 ₱140

19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.28 ₱17.27

389.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.83 ₱51.1

263.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.23 ₱14.17

330.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.59 ₱160

444.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.10 ₱68.1

23.64%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$24.6K ₱1.5M

14.57%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$32.6K ₱2.0M

1.08%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$98.3 ₱6,059

23.86%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$26.52 ₱1,636

-48.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$29.66 ₱1,829

-38.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$43.48 ₱2,681

38.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$1.81 ₱112

846.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.83 ₱359

49.06%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$125 ₱7,727

453.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,743 ₱107.5K

800.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$46.92 ₱2,893

26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$23.05 ₱1,421

50.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$76.7 ₱4,729

49.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$56.2 ₱3,467

48.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$337 ₱20.8K

81.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$243 ₱15.0K

79.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$842 ₱51.9K

148.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$504 ₱31.1K

199.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$216 ₱13.3K

135.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-33.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lapu-Lapu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $337 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 135% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Lapu-Lapu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $216 per month, with Lapu-Lapu 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 Lapu-Lapu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Lapu-Lapu differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $871 including rent). Lapu-Lapu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 135% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $337 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $125 in Lapu-Lapu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lapu-Lapu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $871 in Lapu-Lapu versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lapu-Lapu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lapu-Lapu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Lapu-Lapu 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 Lapu-Lapu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.