😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,059 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,623 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,187 in Lehliu Gara.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than in Lehliu Gara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Lehliu Gara20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$11.30RON 51.4
-60.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$46.02RON 209
-0.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$7.91RON 35.97
10.75%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$2.66RON 12.12
11.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$2.19RON 9.94
-68.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$1.88RON 8.57
-79.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$2.34RON 10.65
8.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$3.40RON 15.45
10.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.32RON 6.01
62.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$0.82RON 3.74
121.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$1.93RON 8.78
12.95%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$3.64RON 16.53
-38.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$8.61RON 39.15
132.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$6.33RON 28.77
-42.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$9.28RON 42.20
46.12%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$1.21RON 5.49
167.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.71RON 7.79
-4.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.65RON 7.51
41.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$1.89RON 8.61
9.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.06RON 4.84
46.23%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$1.16RON 5.25
25.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$0.91RON 4.12
7.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$0.78RON 3.55
-38.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$5.93RON 26.95
-26.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$5.39RON 24.51
244.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$0.93RON 4.21
100.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$1.29RON 5.88
105.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.67RON 3.07
111.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$20.07RON 91.3
-42.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$0.69RON 3.12
359.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.87RON 3.93
18.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$7.66RON 34.81
81.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$1.54RON 7.02
-12.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$27.9KRON 126.9K
-0.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$26.3KRON 119.5K
27.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$162RON 739
-24.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$8.42RON 38.28
63.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$8.66RON 39.36
111.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$41.87RON 190
44.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$19.03RON 86.5
-9.83%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$6.63RON 30.15
33.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$662RON 3,012
3.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$5,495RON 25.0K
187.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$99.3RON 452
-40.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$35.52RON 161
-2.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$62.8RON 285
83.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$97.6RON 444
-14.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$381RON 1,734
62.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$291RON 1,324
53.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$579RON 2,631
251.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$439RON 1,997
240.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$2,076RON 9,440
66.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$1,371RON 6,235
84.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.5
-18.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Lehliu Gara: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $381 in Lehliu Gara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Lehliu Gara. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $198, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,589 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: $621 in Phuket versus $381 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 $688 in Phuket versus $662 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 47% 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 $1,059 in Lehliu Gara versus $1,264 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 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.