Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leova Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,393 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,132 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,871 in Leova.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 9% less than in Leova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Leova is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.58 MDL 182

-55.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$35.32 MDL 606

-8.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$9.62 MDL 165

-9.77%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$0.90 MDL 15.39

222.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.55 MDL 9.51

52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.42 MDL 7.22

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.69 MDL 46.13

-7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.75 MDL 47.27

35.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.71 MDL 29.32

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.56 MDL 26.74

-9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.41 MDL 24.24

14.89%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.38 MDL 23.70

62.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$14.50 MDL 249

36.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.28 MDL 39.11

52.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$4.29 MDL 73.6

165.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.40 MDL 23.94

107.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.90 MDL 15.37

91.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.03 MDL 17.70

120.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.15 MDL 19.82

85.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.56 MDL 26.70

-5.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.59 MDL 10.18

140.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.45 MDL 7.66

144.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.06 MDL 18.20

-43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.81 MDL 82.5

-10.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$15.60 MDL 268

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.18 MDL 20.27

52.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.70 MDL 46.33

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.40 MDL 6.85

462.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$29.90 MDL 513

-21.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.98 MDL 51.1

4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.56 MDL 9.59

92.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$3.54 MDL 60.7

9.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.43 MDL 24.61

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$35.1K MDL 602.3K

-20.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$36.4K MDL 624.1K

-25.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$105 ฿3,462

$199 MDL 3,418

-47.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.39 ฿376

$5.90 MDL 101

93.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$21.89 MDL 376

-19.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$89.1 MDL 1,528

-38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$11.90 MDL 204

-3.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.77 MDL 81.8

63.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$88.8 MDL 1,524

-28.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$57.0 MDL 978

-48.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$99.7 MDL 1,710

-3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$115 MDL 1,971

-21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$650 MDL 11.2K

12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$550 MDL 9,441

-8.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,560 MDL 26.8K

36.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,148 MDL 19.7K

9.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,564 MDL 44.0K

37.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$2,015 MDL 34.6K

30.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$661 MDL 11.3K

-23.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.19

-22.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Leova: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $650 in Leova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Leova. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $197, with Leova 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 Leova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Leova. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $650 in Leova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leova pay roughly 40% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,393 in Leova – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,393 in Leova, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Leova, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Leova are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.