Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $697 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,222 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,746 in Lautoka.

Living in Phuket is roughly 82% more expensive than Lautoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lautoka 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$5.02 FJD 11.00

-6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$45.40 FJD 99.4

-0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.61 FJD 14.48

27.53%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.21 FJD 7.03

-8.72%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.31 FJD 2.87

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.67 FJD 1.46

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.41 FJD 5.28

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.49 FJD 7.65

6.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.33 FJD 2.91

67.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.53 FJD 1.17

245.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.82 FJD 1.79

164.63%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.22 FJD 7.04

-31.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.26 FJD 20.28

113.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.15 FJD 15.66

-49.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.50 FJD 16.43

80.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.53 FJD 5.54

29.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$2.51 FJD 5.49

-35.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.83 FJD 6.20

-14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.09 FJD 6.77

-32.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.96 FJD 2.09

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.95 FJD 2.08

55.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.92 FJD 2.02

7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.80 FJD 1.75

-36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$9.42 FJD 20.63

-53.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$5.55 FJD 12.14

249.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.24 FJD 4.90

-20.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.61 FJD 5.72

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.70 FJD 1.53

95.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$37.66 FJD 82.5

-69.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.64 FJD 1.39

371.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.44 FJD 0.97

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.73 FJD 5.97

416.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.34 FJD 2.93

1.49%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

46.10%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.4K FJD 49.1K

46.80%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$46.45 FJD 102

162.00%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$12.98 FJD 28.43

4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$23.91 FJD 52.4

-23.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.48 FJD 7.61

149.71%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$230 FJD 503

202.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

12.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$17.68 FJD 38.73

236.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$17.50 FJD 38.32

98.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$66.1 FJD 145

73.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$60.3 FJD 132

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$354 FJD 776

73.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$133 FJD 292

228.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$856 FJD 1,874

144.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$393 FJD 862

283.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$712 FJD 1,560

-28.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $354 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Lautoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $221, with Lautoka cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Lautoka differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $697 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lautoka earns 40% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $354 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $697 in Lautoka – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 231% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lautoka 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 Lautoka 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 Lautoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.