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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $678 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,225 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,771 in Lautoka.

Living in Phuket is roughly 84% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lautoka 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.92 FJD 11.01

-7.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$44.93 FJD 101

2.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.81 FJD 15.25

29.81%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.16 FJD 7.07

-3.16%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.30 FJD 2.92

-43.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.65 FJD 1.46

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.44 FJD 5.46

-0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.47 FJD 7.76

8.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.29 FJD 2.88

75.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.49 FJD 1.10

269.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.80 FJD 1.79

181.25%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.30 FJD 7.38

-31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.21 FJD 20.61

111.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.12 FJD 15.93

-48.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.59 FJD 16.99

71.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.47 FJD 5.53

30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.47 FJD 5.52

-34.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.80 FJD 6.27

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.19 FJD 7.15

-36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.01 FJD 2.25

51.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.00 FJD 2.23

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.92 FJD 2.06

6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.80 FJD 1.80

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-51.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.25 FJD 11.75

248.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.19 FJD 4.91

-15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.71 FJD 6.06

-1.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.69 FJD 1.55

104.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$37.56 FJD 84.1

-68.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.65 FJD 1.46

378.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.45 FJD 1.01

131.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.75 FJD 6.15

413.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.35 FJD 3.02

-2.96%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

44.29%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

51.36%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$45.50 FJD 102

169.10%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.08 FJD 29.28

3.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$23.81 FJD 53.3

-21.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.61 FJD 8.08

151.25%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$222 FJD 496

218.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

9.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$17.66 FJD 39.52

231.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$18.09 FJD 40.50

95.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$65.3 FJD 146

76.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$61.8 FJD 138

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$349 FJD 781

79.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$135 FJD 303

229.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$841 FJD 1,882

142.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$400 FJD 896

272.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$692 FJD 1,548

-27.73%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $349 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Lautoka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $220 per month, with Lautoka 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 Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Lautoka differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $678 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 38% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $349 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $678 in Lautoka – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 221% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $678 in Lautoka versus $1,250 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 84% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.