Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lecce

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,445 in Lecce, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Lecce, Italy
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Lecce
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,445
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Lecce

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Lecce actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,445 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Lecce $1,445

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $2,321 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Lecce $2,321

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $3,196 in Lecce, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Lecce $3,196

Phuket is about 12% cheaper than Lecce, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Lecce is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$16.84 €15.13
-73.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$68.1 €61.2
-52.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$10.18 €9.15
-13.46%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$1.98 €1.78
42.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$2.16 €1.94
-59.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$1.09 €0.98
-55.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$3.87 €3.47
-33.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.41 €3.06
7.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.43 €1.29
16.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.82 €1.64
-19.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.27 €2.04
-33.92%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$2.50 €2.25
-16.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$12.38 €11.12
54.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$11.26 €10.12
-70.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$16.31 €14.65
-33.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$2.11 €1.89
38.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.94 €1.74
-12.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.92 €1.72
17.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$3.50 €3.15
-40.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.65 €1.48
-8.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.61 €1.45
-14.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.19 €1.07
-10.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.38 €0.34
36.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.86 €6.16
-38.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$6.73 €6.05
179.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.43 €1.29
27.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$2.46 €2.21
15.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$1.37 €1.23
5.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$5.53 €4.96
-45.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$2.19 €1.97
-53.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$23.41 €21.03
-84.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$2.09 €1.87
-29.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$35.7K €32.1K
-24.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$35.6K €32.0K
-24.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$170 €153
-43.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$11.62 €10.44
-3.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$27.90 €25.06
-39.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$80.6 €72.4
-16.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$56.3 €50.5
-80.92%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$8.61 €7.73
-12.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$567 €509
-16.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$5,021 €4,510
124.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$82.0 €73.7
-23.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$48.10 €43.21
-40.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$88.0 €79.1
7.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$78.1 €70.1
9.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$603 €542
18.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$470 €422
4.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,205 €1,083
59.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$903 €811
58.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$3,050 €2,740
36.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$1,579 €1,418
92.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lecce
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$1,602 €1,439
-68.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.82
15.56%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lecce: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Lecce
$470 4.3% $21
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Lecce
$284 6.8% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Lecce
$210 68.4% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Lecce
$133 9.4% $11
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Lecce
$228 87.5% $106
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Lecce
$98 19% $16
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Lecce
$22 * 68.9% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $603 in Lecce. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lecce are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $68 in Lecce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $284 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇹 Lecce
🕒 Local time
00:38 12:38 AM
18:38 6:38 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
94,773
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Lecce 8,610 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Lecce

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lecce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Lecce?
Yes – Lecce is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $2,168 in Lecce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lecce, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $603 there versus $716 in Phuket.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Lecce?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,445 in Lecce. That’s a gap of about 13%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $567 in Lecce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Lecce?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,445 in Lecce. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Lecce?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lecce makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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