😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,058 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,604 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,150 in Lehliu Gara.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 16% more expensive than Lehliu Gara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Lehliu Gara21% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$11.63RON 50.7
-60.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$45.50RON 198
2.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$8.26RON 36.02
7.02%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.62RON 11.43
14.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.10RON 9.16
-64.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$1.86RON 8.10
-80.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.24RON 9.77
8.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.37RON 14.69
7.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.33RON 5.80
69.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.83RON 3.63
121.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.93RON 8.40
16.06%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$3.76RON 16.38
-38.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$8.38RON 36.55
134.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.16RON 26.84
-40.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$9.32RON 40.63
40.56%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$1.22RON 5.30
177.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.67RON 7.28
-1.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.72RON 7.49
40.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.91RON 8.31
6.28%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.03RON 4.48
51.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.10RON 4.81
36.36%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.94RON 4.11
8.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.75RON 3.26
-34.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$5.82RON 25.38
-23.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$5.80RON 25.29
225.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.88RON 3.82
102.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$1.30RON 5.68
111.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.66RON 2.87
112.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$20.18RON 88.0
-43.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.73RON 3.17
327.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.89RON 3.87
12.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$7.39RON 32.21
90.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.55RON 6.74
-12.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$28.5KRON 124.3K
-4.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.1KRON 113.7K
26.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$165RON 719
-24.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$8.54RON 37.22
58.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$8.39RON 36.58
120.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$42.11RON 184
46.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$19.11RON 83.3
-11.88%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$6.77RON 29.52
35.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$659RON 2,873
5.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$5,477RON 23.9K
184.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$101RON 439
-42.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$35.35RON 154
-0.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$64.4RON 281
75.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$96.2RON 419
-10.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$383RON 1,668
61.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$293RON 1,276
52.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$579RON 2,523
253.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$439RON 1,914
239.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$1,852RON 8,073
104.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,292RON 5,634
104.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lehliu Gara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Lehliu Gara: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $383 in Lehliu Gara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Lehliu Gara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $197 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 16% 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 $1,587 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: $616 in Phuket versus $383 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 $698 in Phuket versus $659 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 Lehliu Gara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Lehliu Gara?
At $1,058 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 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.