😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,068 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,630 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,193 in Lehliu Gara.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than in Lehliu Gara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Lehliu Gara22% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$11.13RON 51.0
-60.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,074
$45.09RON 207
-28.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$7.97RON 36.51
12.05%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.4
$2.57RON 11.79
12.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.30
$2.16RON 9.91
-59.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$1.99RON 9.12
-75.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.3
$2.23RON 10.22
5.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$3.29RON 15.05
13.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.29RON 5.93
44.96%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.81
$0.68RON 3.14
116.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$1.90RON 8.70
-18.42%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.0
$3.64RON 16.70
-42.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$8.08RON 36.99
142.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$6.19RON 28.36
-44.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$8.88RON 40.67
28.15%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$1.36RON 6.24
119.12%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$1.63RON 7.45
3.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$1.61RON 7.36
37.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.0
$1.83RON 8.37
18.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.8
$1.02RON 4.69
49.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.55
$1.12RON 5.14
19.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.57
$0.90RON 4.13
25.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.19
$0.78RON 3.55
-29.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$6.07RON 27.81
-29.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$5.39RON 24.68
254.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$0.97RON 4.45
83.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$1.26RON 5.77
120.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$0.75RON 3.45
197.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿757
$23.13RON 106
-1.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$0.63RON 2.90
380.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.06
$0.69RON 3.15
47.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$7.47RON 34.21
-47.93%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.63
$1.81RON 8.31
-17.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.9K
$29.9KRON 136.9K
-11.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.8K
$26.3KRON 120.7K
2.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,411
$159RON 727
-35.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$8.04RON 36.81
40.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$8.43RON 38.62
106.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,734
$40.34RON 185
29.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿369
$21.22RON 97.2
-47.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$6.81RON 31.19
12.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$631RON 2,889
-11.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.0K
$5,228RON 23.9K
120.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,098
$99.5RON 456
-36.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿983
$33.15RON 152
-10.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,263
$63.8RON 292
53.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,946
$89.8RON 411
-1.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$399RON 1,828
85.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$302RON 1,381
59.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$625RON 2,865
236.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$478RON 2,191
156.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.4K
$1,893RON 8,674
91.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.7K
$1,393RON 6,380
86.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
7.2
-22.64%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Lehliu Gara: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $399 in Lehliu Gara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Lehliu Gara. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $192, with Lehliu Gara 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 Lehliu Gara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lehliu Gara cheaper than Phuket?
Lehliu Gara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,601 in Lehliu Gara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Lehliu Gara?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $399 in Lehliu Gara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $631 in Lehliu Gara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Lehliu Gara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Lehliu Gara?
At $1,068 in Lehliu Gara versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lehliu Gara but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lehliu Gara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Lehliu Gara more family-friendly?
For families, Lehliu Gara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Lehliu Gara?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Lehliu Gara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lehliu Gara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.