😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,077 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,644 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,211 in Lehliu Gara.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Lehliu Gara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Lehliu Gara19% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿148
$11.52RON 52.6
-60.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,528
$45.46RON 208
2.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿278
$8.10RON 37.01
4.81%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿101
$2.61RON 11.92
18.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.26
$2.20RON 10.05
-69.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.84
$1.84RON 8.38
-80.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿79.5
$2.33RON 10.63
4.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿119
$3.25RON 14.84
11.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.7
$1.33RON 6.06
64.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.5
$0.89RON 4.05
103.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿73.1
$1.85RON 8.43
20.54%
Eggs
$2.24฿73.3
$3.78RON 17.25
-40.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿642
$8.29RON 37.85
136.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿122
$6.35RON 28.99
-41.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿441
$9.16RON 41.84
47.05%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿110
$1.25RON 5.72
168.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$1.70RON 7.77
-4.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.73RON 7.89
39.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿65.2
$1.84RON 8.41
8.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.03RON 4.70
48.54%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.59
$1.14RON 5.23
27.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿33.23
$0.96RON 4.38
5.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.86
$0.78RON 3.56
-38.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$5.69RON 25.98
-24.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿627
$5.63RON 25.71
239.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿60.2
$0.91RON 4.17
102.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.8
$1.35RON 6.18
102.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.44
$0.68RON 3.10
108.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿384
$19.44RON 88.8
-39.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿98.4
$0.70RON 3.19
328.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.28
$0.82RON 3.76
28.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿456
$7.65RON 34.96
81.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿42.28
$1.60RON 7.30
-19.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿918.7K
$28.1KRON 128.4K
-0.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$26.8KRON 122.3K
25.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,997
$166RON 757
-26.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿457
$8.29RON 37.88
68.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿618
$8.72RON 39.83
116.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿2,008
$42.23RON 193
45.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿552
$18.81RON 86.0
-10.47%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿291
$6.59RON 30.10
34.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.7K
$645RON 2,945
7.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿529.5K
$5,408RON 24.7K
198.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,894
$102RON 468
-43.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,160
$34.66RON 158
2.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,716
$62.7RON 286
80.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,720
$97.1RON 444
-14.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.9K
$387RON 1,767
56.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.7K
$293RON 1,339
52.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.5K
$584RON 2,668
247.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.9K
$445RON 2,033
235.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿117.5K
$2,159RON 9,863
66.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.7K
$1,339RON 6,119
93.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿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: June 13, 2026
Last update for Lehliu Gara: June 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $387 in Lehliu Gara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Lehliu Gara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $198 per month, with Lehliu Gara 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 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $1,616 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: $607 in Phuket versus $387 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 $691 in Phuket versus $645 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 $1,077 in Lehliu Gara versus $1,223 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 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.