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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $339 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $736 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,132 in Lautoka.

Living in Phuket is roughly 263% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Lautoka 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.51 FJD 12.23

-19.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$79.0 FJD 175

-59.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.01 FJD 17.79

11.49%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.50 FJD 5.56

16.00%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.14 FJD 4.75

-58.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.60 FJD 3.56

-70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.45 FJD 5.45

-4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.07 FJD 6.83

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.68 FJD 3.74

11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.75 FJD 1.67

96.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.94 FJD 2.09

64.89%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.50 FJD 7.78

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$5.99 FJD 13.30

227.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.69 FJD 17.09

-55.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.88 FJD 17.50

44.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.53 FJD 10.07

-34.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.31 FJD 2.92

68.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.87 FJD 1.93

74.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.94 FJD 2.08

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.86 FJD 1.91

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.43 FJD 0.95

27.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$11.42 FJD 25.37

-62.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$5.28 FJD 11.73

261.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.64 FJD 5.88

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.55 FJD 7.88

-21.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.33 FJD 2.96

12.03%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

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

$11.33 ฿378

$13.73 FJD 30.52

-17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$455 FJD 1,010

62.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$916 FJD 2,036

129.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$689 FJD 1,530

-28.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $455 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $79.0 in Lautoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $194, 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 263% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $339 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Lautoka. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $455 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lautoka – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $339 in Lautoka – a 263% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $339 in Lautoka versus $1,232 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 263% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.